"There are different yardsticks for bowlers and batters" - Ravichandran Ashwin says he'll regret not choosing batting as a career
Indian spinner and ICC's top-ranked Test bowler Ravichandran Ashwin said that after he retires, he'll regret not choosing batting as a career because there are "different yardsticks" to measure the success of a bowler and a batter.
The right-arm spinner said this in agreement with Sunil Gavaskar, who had questioned whether India would have dropped an ICC top-ranked batter in the World Test Championship final against Australia, like they did with Ashwin.
In an interview with The Indian Express, Ashwin said he chose off-spin despite being "such a fine batter" after seeing Indian bowlers struggle in a series against Sri Lanka and leaking whatever runs Sachin Tendulkar used to make.
"However, tomorrow when I hang up my boots, the first thing I will regret is having been such a fine batter, I should have never become a bowler," Ashwin added. "This perception I have constantly tried to fight, but there are different yardsticks for bowlers and batters. And there are different ways of treatment. I understand for the batter it is a one-ball game and they require the opportunity," Ashwin said.
"I had this conversation with a stalwart of the game who once said it is because you can see a bowler struggling in a Test match for over 40 overs. But my argument is you are seeing a batsman struggle in the match and nets and the requirement of a batter doesn’t change. It is still a one-ball game. I’m not saying the batter shouldn’t play. He should play and similarly, the bowler must also play," he added.
Ashwin, who has scored five Test centuries, added that when he made his debut for India, he accepted that he'll only get "two Test matches" to fail.
"I felt happy they thought I was good enough to play" - Ashwin on support from pundits
Ashwin added that although he was happy to see the support from multiple former cricketers when he was dropped from the team, his focus was only on helping the team as much as he could.
"I am 36 years old and honestly, what triggers you what gives you happiness, it changes," Ashwin said. "Yeah, every time, I get a text message from some of the former senior cricketers, I always get excited and immediately respond. That’s because of how I have seen them as a youngster. I felt happy they thought I was good enough to play. But the fact of the matter is, I couldn’t get an opportunity or the world title. I knew I was going to be left out 48 hours before. So for me, my entire goal was to make sure I can contribute to the guys and help us win a title because I played a part in it (getting to the final)."
India lost the WTC Final by 209 runs with Australia's off-spinner Nathan Lyon, taking four wickets in the last innings, including skipper Rohit Sharma and the winning scalp of Mohammed Siraj.