Veteran team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin reveales that people hardly knew about his batting abilities at first. Then captain MS Dhoni was hugely impressed after seeing his first Test hundred.
Ashwin is a skilled spin bowler and capable batter. The 37-year-old has scored 3,309 runs in 99 Tests with five centuries, three in India including a best of 124.
Ashwin said that hitting the ball didn’t come easily, but he reached triple figures in only his third Test.
“I don’t think MS knew that I could bat as well as I did. Because in the IPL you don’t see that much of batting. I was a very ordinary No. 9, No. 8. I was still coping with the speed changes. Hitting the ball didn’t come naturally to me. He didn’t know that, but after I got my first hundred [in his third Test], he said, “I didn’t know that you batted so well.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
The veteran made 103 off 118 deliveries in the first innings along with taking 9 scalps as the match resulted in a draw.
Ravichandran Ashwin opens up about his struggles before the 2013 series against Australia
Ravichandran Ashwin went on to discuss his challenges to maintain his job ahead of the home series against Australia in early 2013, particularly with Parvez Rasool and Harbhajan Singh competing for spots.
“When I went to the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association to take match tickets for my family, somebody said, “You are going to be dropped.” I remember Parvez Rasool had taken wickets in the side game. Harbhajan Singh was coming back.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
The champion off-spinner believes that his ability to maintain putting pressure on the opponent on the field has led to huge success for him.
“I made it external. For me, there have been a lot of internal battles, but externally I have managed to put pressure on oppositions, to take away the pressure that I feel internally. When I say internally, I feel like I’m alone in this race, and I’m alone in this game.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
Rohit Sharma and his team now lead the five-Test series against England 3-1.