India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been waiting for an opportunity to get back into the playing XI. Long seen as the best spinner in the country, the 31-year-old is no longer the first-choice bowler in limited-overs cricket.
That honour now rests with young wrist-spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal and Ashwin, along with Ravindra Jadeja, might have to wait for the Test matches to come around to wear the India jersey, but the veteran off-spinner has not let the latest developments bog him down.
Wrist spin is the new buzzword in short-form cricket with most teams having at least one in their ranks. Bowlers like Pakistan leg-spinner Shadab Khan, Afghan leggie Rashid Khan, West Indies tweaker Samuel Badree and England’s Adil Rashid have become important, almost critical, members of their respective white-ball teams as sides believe picking up wickets is the only way to contain batsmen in the middle overs and that finger spinners don’t offer that many options on flat surfaces.
Ashwin, however, believes a spinner must be assessed by his talent and not the type of action he bowls with.
“It’s (wrist spin being the preferred option) a perspective, a thought process out there. You can read whatever you want to read into. As far as I am concerned, it doesn’t matter if it’s a wrist spinner or a finger spinner. If you are good enough, you are good enough. If I get another opportunity, I will keep evolving and I will be the best as I can be,” Ashwin told Sport360° during this week’s launch of Gen-Next Kings’ Cricket Academy at Kings’ School, Al Barsha, in Dubai.
Not only does Ashwin now have to compete with a different form of spin bowling, he also has to contend with tougher fitness parameters to be considered for selection to the national team. Those intending to be a part of the Indian team now must pass the Yo-Yo fitness test, which has already cost a few big names an opportunity at the highest level.
Veteran left-handers Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina are said to have fallen short of expected standards during the fitness test. Ashwin, however, recently aced the test and said he is more than willing to meet every criteria the management sets.
The likes of Kuldeep Yadav have dislodged Ashwin from the limited-overs setup.
“I am not one of the most naturally gifted athletes. But I have always been a very disciplined cricketer and I have always given myself the best chance to be the fittest I can. Whenever it (fitness) has been a parameter, I have always adhered to it. If you are fitter, you bowl better,” Ashwin said.
As the dynamics in the Indian team changed, Ashwin spent his time in England, playing four county matches for Worcestershire in Division Two in September. There he picked up 20 wickets and also hit 214 runs. Since he didn’t feature in the limited overs matches in Sri Lanka, at home against Australia and won’t against New Zealand as well, Ashwin has a lot more time to work on his fitness and develop new aspects of his game.
The 31-year-old is embracing the new challenge and is not planning too far ahead. “I am still playing cricket, very happy doing it,” the Chennai bowler added.
“I have ventured into new things. I went and played in England, new experiences, new things to learn. Wherever I go, there is a lot of learning for me. I am playing Ranji Trophy (India’s first-class tournament) again after a long time. Getting back into the Tamil Nadu dressing room, I have been enjoying it.”
County spells have generally proven to be beneficial for subcontinent cricketers as they get to play in relative anonymity and be on their own while getting back to the basics. Now, Ashwin just wants to play the game.
“It’s all relative. Tomorrow I do well, they will say the county experience was great. If I don’t do well, they will say it really didn’t matter. But obviously, playing county is a good experience because unless you are one of the best in the world, you are not going to get county offers because you are just one player in a team.
“That is a massive plus. You go there, play, learn and even teach the game. You are on your own. There is no attention on you, people are not thronging you all the time.
“There is space that you get, you can enjoy the game and get back things in your game that you have lost. It was a wholesome experience that I will cherish forever.”
Ashwin believes the fitter you are, the better you bowl.
Former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan credited his stint at Worcestershire in 2006 for helping him become a more complete bowler and understand the nuances of bowling and rhythm. Zaheer picked up 78 wickets up 16 games and went on to become one of the best fast bowlers in India’s history.
When asked if he had picked up any new skills or changed any specific aspect of his game while at Worcestershire, Ashwin said it was more of a wholistic experience.
“I bowled a lot of long spells (in England). I had to do things on my own. The wickets didn’t come quickly, you need to take time, plan your dismissals. It’s not one precise thing that I learnt and can say from now onwards you can see it. It makes no sense.
I am sure you want that sort of a statement from me. But it’s all about taking everything in, trying to see if what you can learn and get better the next day.”
What we will definitely not see Ashwin doing anymore is making major statements. The off-spinner, who is well known for his in-depth analysis and unique views, said he just wants his bowling to do all the talking and doesn’t want to attract attention through media while he fights his way back into the Indian team.
“As far as the upcoming season is concerned, I am not taking anything for granted. I am not looking forward to anything. Why should I?
“I enjoy playing cricket, be it Tests ODIs or T20s. I am not going to make any big statements as such. If I need to do that, I will call the press myself and give statements. As of now, all you can do is enjoy your cricket.”
