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From Day 1 to Day 5 of World Test Championship (WTC) 2023, Ravichandran Ashwin’s name was taken by many former cricketers, commentators, cricket experts and fans. Ashwin’s omission came as a big surprise to many and as the game progressed the voices grew louder. Australia’s middle-order batters dominated and India lost the game by 209 runs. Few days after the dust has barely settled, Ashwin has broke silence on his omission and recalled an incident in his life when he chose to be an off-spinner and not just a speciallist batter.
“This is a true story and I don’t talk from something made up. One day, I was seeing the India-Sri Lanka game and India’s bowling was in tatters. My favourite was Sachin Tendulkar, and whatever runs he used to make we used to leak those runs with the ball. I used to think one day, I must be a bowler. Can’t I be better than the bowlers that are there currently? This is a very childish way to think but that is how I thought and that is why I started bowling off-spin. This is where it began,” Ashwin told Indian Express.
“However, tomorrow when I hang up my boots, the first thing I will regret is having been such a fine batter, I should have never become a bowler.”
“This perception I have constantly tried to fight, but there are different yardsticks for bowlers and batters. And there are different ways of treatment. I understand for the batter it is a one-ball game and they require the opportunity.”
The veteran off-spinner also revealed that he has had this conversation with a stalwart of the game. He agreed with former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar that the bowlers get a different treatment compared to batter even if the latter is struggling in the nets.
“Some people will get 10 matches, some people will get 15, some people will get 20. The day I wore the Indian colours I knew I’ll get only two. So I was prepared for it. It’s not that it is some unfair treatment meted upon me. The only reason for my improvement or where I stand in how I play my cricket right now is that I have accepted that I will get only two test matches.
“I don’t want to go back home and say boss, ‘he got 15 and I got two’. I don’t want to do that because all I can control is who I am and what I can do,” he added.
Upon returning from England, Ashwin played his first competitive match in Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) 2023. Leading Dindigul Dragons, Ashwin took a wicket off the second ball he bowled against Ba11sy Trichy. Dragons won the match easily after restricting the opponents for a low score.
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