The constant search for excellence has pushed R Ashwin to new heights but by his own admission, it has also been ‘incredibly draining’. Ashwin, the world’s number one Test bowler, put the disappointment of being dropped from the World Test Championship final with a 33rd five-wicket haul in the first Test against the West Indies here on Wednesday.
The 36-year-old also became the third Indian to reach the 700-wicket milestone in international cricket and is only behind Harbhajan Singh (707 wickets) and Anil Kumble (953) in the all-time list.
After the close of play on day one, the wily off-spinner, who also thinks deeply about the game, was asked about his long journey in international cricket and the ups and downs along the way, including the recent exclusion from the WTC final against Australia.
‘There is no cricketer or human being in this world that has gone through the highs without the lows. When you have the lows, it gives you two choices, either you sulk or talk about it and then complain about it and go along with it and go down. Or you learn from it. So I’m someone who’s constantly learnt from my lows,’ said Ashwin.
‘In fact the best thing that’ll happen today after this good day that I’ve had is that I’ll have a good meal, have a good conversation, talk to my family and go to bed and then forget about it. When you’ve had a good day, you know you’ve had a good day but there are areas you can work on and get better for tomorrow. This constant search for excellence has held me in good stead all the time, but it’s also been incredibly draining. It’s not a journey that’s been very easy. For me, the journey has been draining, but I’m very thankful for all the lows because without the lows there are no highs,’ he added.
Regarding his exclusion from the WTC final, Ashwin said, ‘It’s very tough as a cricketer when you have a shot at the WTC final and end up sitting out. But what is the difference between me and another person if I also end up sulking in the dressing room.’
Ashwin emphasized the importance of focusing on the team’s success and being prepared for any situation. ‘When we went to the WTC final, I was mentally prepared to play. I had prepared physically and mentally, planned for the game, everything. But, I was also prepared to not play the game. If I’m not playing, how do I respond? How do I make sure the dressing room is really up and about. Winning the WTC final is the most important thing, it could be a very high point in my career and I would have played a good role in it. It was just unfortunate, it didn’t pan out. The first day just left us too much behind in the shed. All I’d like to give to my teammates and Indian cricket as a whole is some understanding and my best efforts on the field and I’d like to leave it at that,’ he explained.
Ashwin reflects on his 14-year journey in international cricket and acknowledges that time has flown by. He mentions the importance of creating great memories as a team, stating, ‘It’s not about how many wickets you take, how many runs you score. You’ll forget about all of them. It is only the great memories you create as a team that’ll stick with you.’ He expresses his gratitude for the game and vows to enjoy every moment that comes his way, regardless of the outcome.
The COVID-19 pandemic has also influenced Ashwin’s perspective on life and the game. ‘After Covid when cricket began again, I promised myself that I’ll enjoy whatever happens… whether I’m playing, getting dropped or if I’m retiring. Whatever happens, I will enjoy it,’ he said.
In the recent Test match against the West Indies, Ashwin made excellent use of the bounce on offer, taking five wickets and helping India gain an advantage. He explains, ‘There was some bounce from the wicket, especially from the pavilion end. The wicket had some slope also which gave us bounce. But we utilised the first session very well. The wicket had some moisture and it was coming off it very well. As you saw, they showed a graphic that it was turning more (in the second session), but the turn was very slow. But in the first session, there was bounce, and pace off was good, there was bite. We utilised it very well.’
For more details, read the full article here.
