"He wanted new tricks to be learned" - Former India coach opens on what made Ravichandran Ashwin special
Former India all-rounder and ex-head coach Ravi Shastri reckons that Ravichandran Ashwin was a cricketer who always wanted to keep evolving, a quality that made his special. Shastri also lauded the retired cricketer for working extremely hard and pursuing excellence.
Ashwin (38) shocked the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from international cricket following the conclusion of the Gabba Test on Wednesday, December 18. The off-spinner featured in the second Test of the series in Adelaide, which turned out to be his last appearance for India.
Speaking on The ICC Review show, Shastri hailed Ashwin as a player who always looked to keep improving and commented:
“I think what stands out for me was his wanting to evolve all the time. He wasn't the kind of guy satisfied as to where he started. He wanted new tricks to be learned. He pursued it, practiced hard at it and continued to look for new things as his career progressed, to keep up with the times."
Sharing his thoughts on Ashwin's exceptional numbers in international cricket - 765 wickets (537 in Test matches) - Shastri added that the off-spinner's numbers speak for themselves. The 62-year-old stated:
“His legacy will be of being a terrific match-winner, a fabulous record, 537 sticks. I mean anyone over 500 (in Test cricket) is special."
In the present decade, Ashwin has an average of 21.18, which is even better than his overall Test career average of 24. Speaking about the same, the former head coach credited the Tamil Nadu cricketer and added:
“And for him to do it in his span and the way he has done it, especially when it came to bowling in the last four or five years, I think in India, along with (Ravindra) Jadeja, I think they were a terrific pair, the real spin twins."
Of Ashwin's 537 Test scalps, 383 came at home in 65 Tests. In these games, he averaged 21.57, with 29 five-fers and six 10-wicket match hauls.
"Lot of Jadeja's wickets in the last five-six years have come because of Ashwin and vice-versa" - Ravi Shastri
While Ashwin is a great spinner in his own right, his combination with left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja was legendary, especially in Test matches at home. Both bowlers complemented each other brilliantly. Shastri also agrees that both the cricketers played a big role in each other's success.
“They complemented each other well and they spurred each other on you know so I would say a lot of Jadeja's wickets in the last you know five-six years have come because of Ashwin and vice-versa," the former all-rounder opined.
Concluding his thoughts on the recently retired off-spinner, Shastri hailed Ashwin's attitude as a bowler and said:
“It didn't matter to him who he was bowling against. You know, he was up for it."
Apart from his bowling exploits, Ashwin was a more than handy lower-order batter, particularly in the Test format. He scored six hundreds and 14 fifties to go with his 537 wickets.