Spin maestro Ravichandran Ashwin will play his 100th match in the longer format of the game on March 7th in Dharamshala during the fifth and final Test against England. Ravichandran Ashwin joined an elite group of bowlers by becoming only the second Indian bowler after Anil Kumble to clinch 500 Test wickets in the third Test of the current series at Rajkot.
Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently said that he experienced many instances of stress over particular outcomes during his Test career. Additionally, Ashwin said that there were some who suggested he might have become the Indian captain. But he believes he’s moved past the stage when expectations weigh him down and that he should now just appreciate each moment as it comes.
You could have had a leadership chance- Ravichandran Ashwin
Before his memorable day, Ashwin and Kumble had a discussion on Jio Cinema’s Spin Maestros. On the eve of his 100th Test in Dharamsala, Ravichandran Ashwin shared the following thoughts regarding his emotions:
“I really think that during this life of having ups and downs, at several stages I felt like, ‘Okay, why the hell is it happening to me, man?!’ But now I would actually say that these ups and downs have made me who I am. A lot of people even now come and tell me, ‘You could have had a leadership chance.’ But I have completely made peace with the fact that it’s not happening,”
Ashwin thinks he finally got the recognition because of his dedication to the game and hard work. Even after becoming widely recognized in India, he continued to play in the local leagues in his home state of Tamil Nadu whenever he could.
I have made peace with the fact that the team needs to win- Ravichandran Ashwin on not getting chance in SENA tests
When India has went to the SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) nations in recent years, they have favored to use a single spin option in Ravindra Jadeja and four seamers . This has frequently sparked discussion on whether they do not have enough faith in Ravichandran Ashwin to use him as their primary spinner in all situations.
Although Ashwin acknowledged that there were moments when he regretted being benched, he insisted that he had developed resilience.
“I genuinely feel bowlers play second-fiddle to the batters. This was always in my mind before that why do I get one game to fail and somebody gets more games to fail. Eventually, I have made peace with the fact that the team needs to win. When the team wins at the end of the five days, I am the most delighted person in the dressing room. I cannot put my selfish interest ahead of the team,” Ashwin expressed.
Ravichandran Ashwin revealed details of his pre-test preparations, including how he studied specific opposition batters. Additionally, he stated that he enjoyed manipulating fielders to have the batter attempt a false shot in an attempt to break the shackles.