Ashwin pleased to get a break

Sport360 staff 12:35 18/10/2016
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  • Ashwin celebrates after hitting a century against the West Indies

    Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been India’s premier spin bowler over the last few years, feels that the key to his recent success has been the rhythm with which he has been able to bowl.

    Ashwin won back-to-back Man of the Series awards recently as India registered Test series wins over West Indies and New Zealand, to go to No. 1 spot on the ICC Test Team Rankings.

    Ashwin also personally rose to the top position on the ICC Test Rankings for Bowlers and the Tamil Nadu spinner explained that he was trying to find out what worked for him over the last couple of years.

    Ashwin's Test record

    • Matches: 39
    • Wickets: 220
    • Average: 24.29
    • BBI: 7/59

    Speaking at a promotional event in Chennai, Ashwin said: “The key thing is that my rhythm and action are falling in place. I have been trying to graph what is right and what is wrong for the past couple of years and understood that rhythm is very important. Sometimes it takes time to get into it. Even in this series it took time.”

    The 30-year-old also touched on the subject of him being rested for the ODIs against New Zealand. With 10 more Tests left in a long home season, Ashwin is crucial to India’s fate and he believes he has benefitted from the decision.

    Since the start of 2016, Ashwin has toured Australia for a limited overs series, followed by a home T20I series against Sri Lanka, the Asia Cup, the ICC World T20 and the Indian Premier League (IPL). In July, he toured the West Indies for four Tests and two ODIs in the United States of America, following which he played all three Tests against New Zealand at home.

    “I think I needed this break more than anybody else as I need to be really fresh,” he said.

    There have been many suggestions that Ashwin could become the fastest bowler to take 300 wickets in Test cricket – a feat which he could potentially achieve this season. With 80 wickets needed to reach the milestone, it might look like a difficult task, but with Ashwin’s record at home, it might just be possible.

    Speaking about that, Ashwin said: “As of now I am not looking at any numbers or chasing any targets. I am just enjoying the space I am in.  Sometimes when you are really doing well you do not think about it.

    “If you think too much about it, you start losing out on enjoying the game. So, at the moment I am not really looking too far ahead.”

    Ashwin is expected to return to the Indian team for the Test series against England which begins on November 9, 2016 at Rajkot.

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