The world’s most successful off-spinner had to wait four years to find a place in India’s T20I squad again. There is nothing in his repertoire that warrants this sudden dispassionate attitude, perhaps a new approach to a format that relies more on matchups than on the instinctive genius of a bowler. But Ravichandran Ashwin kept pushing in Tests and the IPL, reinventing his matchups, asking franchises to take risks on him as a pinch-hitter, even abandoning himself when the runs weren’t coming. Those risks eventually paid off.
After Sunday’s win over Pakistan, Ashwin will be remembered for the win. But if the previous birth is not mentioned, if it is calmly released, it will damage the person’s patience.
“He has so much composure, he has the mind to really leave the ball,” Indian bowling coach Paras Mhambrey told reporters ahead of the Netherlands game in Sydney. “If you look at him, anybody else at this stage would be swinging the bat, but that’s Ashwin for you. The best player.”
Was Ashwin given any instructions when he came out to bat? To this, Mhambrei said, “I think it’s the other way around. I think as far as Ashwin is concerned, he will tell us what I will do, so no. I think that’s exactly what he is.’
Ashwin remembers the period pragmatically, sharing it on his YouTube channel after that win. “I stuffed myself in the third. To go as a power-player if the wickets fall early,” he said before trying to describe the thoughts that were passing through his mind. “Where is this game going?” What does everyone say? These were some thoughts. Then I thought Virat and Hardik should get 60 points. If the situation arises, I can do my best and beat the team.”
India needed two runs from one, and Ashwin was invoking Einstein here, wondering how a minute feels like an hour, when you don’t like where you are. “And if you’re talking to a girl, an hour seems like a minute,” he added with a smile. “Easily the longest walk to the center of the earth. At least that’s how I felt about it.”
Here, his momentary disbelief disappears. “I cursed Dinesh Karthik for a moment and then said, ‘No, no. We still have time, let’s do what we came for.’ Then I saw Virat Kohli. He told me many things. I calmly thought, Hitting in all these areas, you can do it. I will definitely do my best.’ I couldn’t say it out loud.
“And then I thought, ‘God gave you (Col) a lot today. How does he hurt me? At least he won’t let me get these runs?’ No other thoughts. Ashwin made the decision. “See the ball, put it in the gap and run for life.”
But Mohammad Nawaz bowled wide. Instead, Ashwin ensured that it was called a wide. “The moment I saw the ball going down my leg, I decided not to play it. As soon as I ran, I was so relaxed.”
We know what happened to the next ball. A batsman is not the most reliable when one run is needed to win. The higher the need, the clearer the idea of what shooting action to take. The field was spread out and there were only four inside the circle. But nothing about it said Ashwin was in two minds about it.
Ashwin has five test hundreds. Even before he played in the IPL, he was known as a handy batsman with high confidence in his ability to adapt, innovate and compete with the best. Add to that his constant pursuit of knowledge and Ashwin is almost uncountable when he is in his element. It doesn’t matter whether he bowls or not. If it is Ashwin, he will find his way. He reinvents the wheel if necessary.
While the major part of this extraordinary turn of events in Ashwin’s life can be put down to his extraordinary control and resolve, let’s not discount the work Ashwin has put into the 2022 IPL. He scored his maiden IPL fifty and scored 191 runs at an average of 27.29, his best effort in 13 seasons. The strike level was also 141.48.
That’s what Ashwin, the world’s best off-spinner, brings to the table in a World Cup year where India are looking to add batting depth by any means necessary. We haven’t even begun to discuss what he does or can do with the ball. The range remains formidable: breaks, leg-breaks, carrom balls, astrocutters and googlies, Ashwin does these and more. can play while also playing touch and pass with the crease without taking his eyes off the non-striker’s bat. Always expect the unexpected with Ashwin.