“Either I’m not good enough” - When R Ashwin doubted himself because of Virender Sehwag
Ravichandran Ashwin ended his international career as one of the greatest spinners to have played the sport. His 537 Test wickets and 765 wickets overall (all formats combined) are testimony to his prowess as a top spin bowler.
However, there was a time in his career when he doubted himself while trying to find his footing and a permanent spot in the Indian cricket team. Interestingly, this doubt within him was raised by one of his teammates and senior player Virender Sehwag.
Appearing on an episode of the popular chat show 'What the Duck" hosted by Vikram Sathaye during the second season, Ashwin recalled an incident when Sehwag made him doubt himself.
"There was an incident in Dambulla, where every ball that I bowled, first ball I bowled outside off stump, Sehwag cut me. Next ball I bowled on off stump, he cuts me. Next ball I bowled on middle stump, he cuts me. The next ball I bowl on leg stump, he again cuts me. So I said 'what the hell is happening'. So I just bowled a ball fuller, Sehwag stepped out and slugged me out for a six," Ashwin recalled.
Ashwin stated that this incident made him doubt himself as he thought that either he was not good enough or Sehwag was just way too good because he did not even struggle as much while bowling to Sachin Tendulkar in the nets as opposed to bowling against Sehwag.
"So I said to myself either I am just not good enough or this guy is just way too good ... which he was. But to the greater Sachin Tendulkar also, I didn't struggle with bowling so much in the nets. I was very inquisitive. I observed this for a few days," he had stated.
Bothered by being hit all over by Sehwag, Ashwin recalled that he decided to go to Sehwag and ask him how to improve. However, Sehwag gave him a rather hilarious and unexpected response.
"Viru said 'You know what, I don't think off-spinners are bowlers. They do not trouble me at all. I just find it easy smashing them'. I said 'Sir you are cutting me'. He said, 'Yeah, I hit off-spinners against the spin on the off side and for left-arm spinners, I will hit against the spin on the leg side. I said, 'okay, fine'," Ashwin further recalled.
"It was his ego you needed to bowl against," - R Ashwin on how to bowl to Virender Sehwag
Carrying on the conversation, Ravichandran Ashwin stated that he eventually figured out a way to bowl to Sehwag and get him out.
"So the best possible plan against Sehwag was to bowl every single single ball as best rubbish ball that you can give. And I got him out a few times in the IPL that way," Ashwin had stated.
"I realised one fine day that it was his ego that you needed to bowl against. Because he gave me a very interesting story. He said he had fever in a game at Rohtak and smashed Harbhajan for 12 sixes. 'You know Harbhajan is a good off spinner.' I said, 'Yeah Harbhajan is a good off spinner.' But that doesn't mean you smoke him for 12 sixes with fever," the now 28-year-old narrated.
He went on to recall how bowling rubbish balls to Sehwag worked and that was a simple plan he followed while bowling to the former Indian opener.
"So basically for Sehwag, it was very simple, he hit people on good balls. So my simple strategy to Sehwag was to bowl rubbish balls. And it worked," he recalled.