Ravichandran Ashwin, Team India’s top off-spinner, recently gave specifics of head coach Rahul Dravid’s address from the just finished Dharamsala Test against England, in which the spinner made his 100th Test appearance.
Ravichandran Ashwin revealed that Rahul Dravid discussed how the problems of Test cricket are comparable to those of everyday life, with ups and downs. Regarding Dravid’s speech, here’s what Ashwin stated on his YouTube channel:
“Talking about Rahul Bhai’s speech at Dharmashala, if you ask me if Vijay Sethupathy is the hero of Vikram Vedha, or is Madhavan the hero of Vikram Vedha? I won’t know the answer. Sethu Na acted brilliantly in the movie, and Madhavan was no less. I was always trying to profess that Test cricket is parallel to life. Our lives’s ups and downs are symbolized. A miniature of this is Test cricket. Even this series has shown it. But Rahul Dravid also mentioned it in his speech.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ashwin additionally conveyed his splendid rapport with Rahul Dravid, regarding him as a brother from another mother. Elucidating on his camaraderie with the then player now coach, the seasoned bowler stated:
“I’ve played with Rahul Bhai, the player, right from my initial days on the Indian national team. But with him as a coach, I have a special attachment. I can tell him anything and everything; he’ll never mistake me. Even if he’s in the wrong, we’ve built such a relationship. But at the same time, there’s this respect that I have for him. I am a single son of the family. But when I talk to Rahul Bhai, I have this little fear that comes from a lot of respect and a license to talk about anything with him, much like our own big brothers.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin managed to join the club of 14 Indian players who have participated in 100 Tests. Amid the five-match cluster against England, he notched up another significant achievement, elevating him to the rank of the second Indian bowler to seize 500 wickets in this format.
Ravichandran Ashwin Reflects on Street Cricket Days Despite Early IPL Success
Ravichandran Ashwin also discussed how he continued to play underarm cricket in the streets of Chennai despite signing a deal with the Indian Premier League.
The 37-year-old said that Rahul Dravid cited his underarm cricket experience in his statement before his 100th Test. Speaking about his tenure with the Ramakrishnapuram Underarm Cricket Association, the experienced activist stated:
“I don’t know how to express it. I have written something recently. It’ll come in some time. I’ve written about the Ramakrishnapuram Underarm Cricket Association. He (Dravid) addressed that in his speech. It is very special to me. It is something that we used to play on the streets, and we made posters to stick around the area with all the details mentioned: 4 per team, a 50 rupee entry fee, and many more. We used to play for years. I got an IPL contract in 2008, but we used to play until 2014 on the streets.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin took the most wickets in the five-match Test series between India and England, with 26 in ten innings.