Ashwin’s origin story: How an aspiring medium-pacer turned one among world’s greatest off-spinners

Ravichandran Ashwin is likely one of the best cricketers India has produced, with 716 worldwide wickets. He has already secured 489 wickets in Tests and is prone to end his profession as India’s second-highest wicket-taker within the format. Though Anil Kumble’s document of 619 wickets is presently out of attain, the 37-year-old can surpass it. 

While Ashwin has been a dominant pressure in Test cricket over the previous decade, his efficiency in white-ball worldwide cricket has been sporadic. He was dropped in 2017, and it took him 4 years to return to the Indian workforce forward of the 2021 T20 World Cup. Since then, he has made occasional appearances in colored clothes, together with on the 2022 T20 World Cup. 

In one-day cricket, Ashwin performed just a few video games in South Africa in 2022 however was not an everyday member of the workforce till he was recalled for the three-match collection towards Australia forward of the upcoming 50-over World Cup. Despite failing to make it to the preliminary squad, he has now been included as a substitute for the injured Axar Patel and can make his third look on the showpiece occasion.

During the 2011 World Cup in India, Ashwin performed two matches. He even opened the bowling within the quarterfinal towards Australia and took the wicket of Shane Watson. 

Life will come full circle for Ashwin if he’s chosen for India’s opening match of the World Cup towards Australia at his residence floor in Chennai on October 8.  

Incidentally, it’s the venue the place he made his World Cup debut in 2011 and performed his first-ever First-Class match in 2006 towards Haryana. This place has all the time been a terrific searching floor for the off-spinner, as he has managed to take two five-wicket hauls and rating a century in Tests.

If Ashwin finds a spot within the taking part in XI, C. Okay. Vijaya Kumar, who has been coaching younger cricketers for over twenty years at St. Bede’s college floor just a few kilometres away from the Chepauk stadium, will probably be pleased with Ashwin even when he isn’t within the stadium. 

In highschool, Vijaya Kumar performed a pivotal function in remodeling Ashwin from a gap batter and medium-pacer into an off-spinner. 

Recalling the choice, Kumar, in a chat with  Sportstar, says, “He joined St. Bede’s Anglo Indian High School from Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan for the 11th standard. While bowling one day at the school nets, he felt tired and asked if he could try bowling off-spin. I agreed, and he soon demonstrated great control. It was evident that he had a special talent for it.” 

True all-rounder: Tamil Nadu batsman R. Ashwin in motion throughout the Ranji Trophy Super League match towards Mumbai at Gurunanak College Ground in Chennai on November 17, 2007.
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HINDU PHOTO LIBRARY

However, Ashwin was eager to get again to bowling at full tilt till Kumar insisted on him specializing in his new craft. “The next day, he was unhappy and wanted to bowl medium-pace. But I did not allow him to bowl that day and told him to pursue off-spin. After that, we spoke with his father and decided this was the best for his future.” 

Under Kumar’s supervision, Ashwin spent lengthy hours within the sprawling St. Bede’s School grounds, tucked behind the All India Radio premises close to the world-famous Marina Beach, honing his expertise on this new artwork type.   

Explaining the rationale behind asking him to bowl off-spin, the 57-year-old Indian Bank worker says, “We had two off-spinners playing at the under-16 state level. But when I saw him, it was clear he stood apart. He was using his height well, getting that extra bounce, and having pace off the pitch. He was a quick learner, too, compared to others in his age group. 

“If you are a batter, you are competing with many people. But picking wickets helps you get into the state team quickly. At that time, Tamil Nadu did not have many good off-spinners at the under-16 level. Even at that young age, with his bounce, he was getting people caught at bat-pad.”  

But as soon as set on the brand new path, Ashwin left no stone unturned to succeed. “We knew he would shine as an off-spinner, but he has achieved everything in international cricket because of his dedication and hard work.” 

A key purpose behind Ashwin’s success has been the unending want to remain forward of the curve by continuously experimenting and outsmarting the batters. Was it evident even again then? “Yes, even at the school level, he had plans for every batter. He was very particular about match-planning.” 

R. Ashwin of South Zone celebrates the wicket of Parthiv Patel of West Zone within the Duleep Trophy ultimate at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk in Chennai on February 5, 2009. 
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HINDU PHOTO LIBRARY

“What stood out more was the control he had even then. He would set his field, bowling with close-in catchers, and could bowl to the field. A lot of cricketers at that age will not be able to bowl to a field,” the veteran coach explains. 

When requested concerning the particular points of the sport he labored on, Kumar says, “Apart from the basics of line and length, we worked on how to be quick off the pitch. You need to develop control to be quick, even while giving flight. It is easy to start bowling flat when trying to be fast, and it won’t be effective.” 

While Ashwin burst into the general public creativeness by means of the IPL and worldwide cricket, he had by then carried out the onerous yards on the aggressive Chennai league circuit and had spent just a few years in First-Class cricket. It is that this strong basis proper from his college days that has helped the 37-year-old be on the high of his sport for the higher a part of the final decade.  

Apart from his expertise and baggage of methods, Ashwin can be a fierce competitor and infrequently provides an inch on the sphere. “He did not just want to do well; he also wanted the team to win. We won most tournaments when he played for us. More importantly, he used to guide other players. He was always ready to share his thoughts about the game.” 

On his expectations from one among his most well-known pupils on the 2023 ODI World Cup, the coach says, “To play in three World Cups is a great achievement. I am sure he will do well because we are playing at home. I think an off-spinner is key to any bowling attack, and he is a wicket-taking bowler. We saw how well he bowled in the previous match (3 for 41 in the second one-day against Australia in Indore). It will be great to see him play in the World Cup.”