R Ashwin was delighted to deliver for Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a must-win game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2024 Eliminator. Despite struggling with an abdomen injury and the challenges of his advancing age, Ravichandran Ashwin managed to bounce back brilliantly in the second half of the season.
R Ashwin has cemented his place as one of the best off-spinners ever, ranking second only behind Anil Kumble in India’s all-time Test wicket-taking list. This achievement, surpassing the legendary Kapil Dev in 2024, is just one of his many accolades. He’s also the fastest Indian bowler to reach the coveted milestone of 450 Test wickets.
Ashwin’s brilliance extends beyond the Test arena. He was part of India’s victorious campaigns in the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy. Currently playing for the Rajasthan Royals, he sits comfortably at number five on the IPL’s all-time wicket-takers list with a staggering 172 scalps. In IPL 2024 where he’s already amassed a healthy 424 runs in just 14 matches. He has also shown return in from in the second half of the season with ball taking wickets in crucial times.
What R Ashwin Said
Ashwin further revealed that transitioning from a Test cricket mindset to a T20 approach took some time following the five-game series between India and England. Adjudged Player of the Match for his impressive figures of 2/19 in four overs, Ashwin played a crucial role in RR’s six-wicket victory over RCB, propelling them to Qualifier 2. In his post-match comments, the off-spinner shared,
“In the first half, I felt my body wasn’t moving too well for the first half of the season. I had an abdomen injury as well. I am aging as well. To come into the tournament from Test cricket was difficult, I needed some time to get that bowling rhythm. But once you have committed to your franchise, you want to go through with the season,”
Ashwin took only one wicket in his first seven games but has since claimed eight wickets in his last six outings. The all-rounder aims to maintain his impressive form against SRH in Qualifier 2.
Ravichandran Ashwin praised Rajasthan Royals for effectively blending youth and experience to succeed in the T20 tournament. He was thrilled to see Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell deliver in the crucial do-or-die match. The legendary spinner suggested that Keshav Maharaj’s availability as the third spinner will greatly benefit the Royals in his hometown of Chennai, which will host the remaining two IPL 2024 games. Ashwin remarked,
“I think our greatest strength is the exuberance of youth and the experience we have got to support that. Now that Hettie is back in, and Rovman [Powell] got a few boundaries today as well. We’ve got Keshav [Maharaj] sitting outside. We have the right momentum for this team going forward,”
The Royals will take on the Sunrisers in Qualifier 2 at MA Chidambaram Stadium on May 24.