"The most envious I am of one cricketer is Ravindra Jadeja" - Ravichandran Ashwin on his long-time Test spin-bowling partner
Team India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin made a surprising revelation by stating that his Test match spin-bowling partner Ravindra Jadeja is the cricketer he is most envious of.
Ashwin and Jadeja recently became the second Indian pair to enter the 500-wicket club combined after Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. While Ashwin has 489 Test scalps in 94 games, Jadeja sits on 275 wickets in 67 games.
In a conversation with Sportstar, Ashwin admitted to Virat Kohli being the greatest cricketer but added that he is most envious of Jadeja.
"One person that I am always envious of, I am not a jealous person, but I'm very envious of this one person, not anybody else," Ashwin said. "The greatest cricketer at this point of time, the most sellable cricket of the most attractive cricketer today is Virat Kohli. However, the most envious I am of one cricketer is Ravindra Jadeja."
Ashwin further highlighted that his journey is completely different to that of Jadeja. The 37-year-old off-spinner singled out Jadeja's ability to consistently land the ball in the same spot and keep things simple.
"Ravindra Jadeja's journey and my journey are extremely contrasting. Ravindra Jadeja can put a ball on the same spot day in and day out be extremely athletic on field and keep it extremely simple with the bat and be a million dollars on most days. I cannot do that," Ashwin added.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja are part of the Indian Test squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa that starts with the T20Is on December 10.
"Without Jadeja there is no Ashwin, without Ashwin, there is no Jadeja" - Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin elaborated on how he and Ravindra Jadeja would not have become what they are today without the other, given that they complement each other very well.
Ashwin boasts an incredible 34 five-wicket hauls and eight 10-wicket match hauls in Tests and is only 11 away from the cherished 500-wicket mark.
"We don't exist without one another," Ashwin continued. "Without Jadeja there is no Ashwin, without Ashwin, there is no Jadeja but it doesn't take away from the fact that he is extremely good at keeping it very simple and not overthinking it.
"I cannot put the ball the same spot or bat like how I do if I don't be curious and if I don't overthink. He cannot be who he is if he is constantly overthinking it. So this is a classic case of people plying similar trades and finding success in their own ways."
Ashwin further added that there is a healthy rivalry between him and Jadeja that only further benefits the team.
"For some reason, I couldn't express this to him for a long time. But I found a way to express this to him. I think there is a constant tussle, even between us, about who's even better than the other," Ashwin added.
Ravichandran Ashwin's 489 wickets are behind only Anil Kumble's tally of 619 for the most Test scalps by an Indian bowler. Jadeja is seventh among Indian bowlers and fourth among spinners with his 275 Test wickets.