Ravichandran Ashwin was at his peak when he became only the 14th Indian player to appear in 100 Test matches. Ashwin took England batters for a ride, taking nine wickets in the fifth Test at Dharamsala, one of his best performances in whites.
After the game, India legend Sunil Gavaskar spoke with Ashwin about how he continues to confuse batters even at this point in his career.
Gavaskar also reminded Ashwin of a comment made by England’s Joe Root before the match, in which he explained why the best batters in the world struggle to tackle Ashwin.
“That has always been the pinnacle of your career. You’ve always been a student of the game. And how you strive to improve in each match with a variety of deliveries. Different delicacies.
Different actions, different run-ups – it’s fascinating to watch how the mind works, attempting to outfox the batter. I mean, I can only say that a lot of good spin bowlers will be thinking a hundred times about how to deal with you, as Joe Root told us before the Test match began,” Gavaskar said on Jio Cinema after the Dharamsala Test.
“I’d say with Ashwin, (it) is making sure that you don’t play the previous ball,” Root said on Sky Cricket.
Ashwin, who remains one of the game’s best minds, emphasized how footage from video analysts has helped him best prepare for challenges.
“Sunny bhai, I feel like times have changed, as has the amount of footage you receive from video analysts and how frequently you play against the top test nations. The batters are constantly prepared, and they can line you up perfectly if you are the same person.
Of course, there will be times when you can focus on their styles. You can get good length in certain spells, but it’s not enough to dismiss some good batters.
I’m not saying that sticking with one method won’t work; fortunately, I’m one of those who experimented and discovered what works for me.
Nonetheless, with all of the analysis and footage floating around, it’s best if you stay on top of it,” Ashwin said.
