First ball of the 14th over and R Ashwin, from around the wicket, pitches one outside the leg-stump and the ball turns a bit after hitting the rough patch. Zak Crawley went down on one knee and looked to sweep it fine but miscued the hit to Rajat Patidar in the short fine-leg region. By no means it was a wicket-taking delivery but Ashwin would grab it with both hands as it made him only the 2nd Indian bowler, fifth spinner and ninth bowler overall to enter the elite 500 Test wickets club.
There were congratulatory hugs and smiles all around as the 37-year-old, playing his 98th Test for the country, soaked in the moment and acknowledged the applause from the dressing room with a gentle wave. Ashwin has sent down more than 25,000 deliveries in his Test career and those who have played both with and against him, marvel at the time and effort he puts in to stay relevant in the ever-changing cricket landscape.
With the match still excitingly poised, Ashwin didn’t play up the milestone bit much at the post-day presser but did reflect on what has been a long journey.
“I was an accidental spinner, I wanted to be a batter all along. Life gave me a chance. When I walked into the CSK dressing room, Muttiah Muralitharan didn’t want to bowl with the new ball. Eventually, I got tossed the new ball. I had a good First Class start. The stage in the IPL made me visible to a lot of people. I eventually got my Test debut. People doubted whether I could be a Test bowler, and here I am 13 years later. So not bad. I am pretty glad,” says Ashwin.
Former England spinner Graeme Swann has always been a big fan of R Ashwin and was in the commentary box when his opponent from playing days scaled Mount 500. What made the 500th more special for Swann was the fact that it was the first England wicket to fall on the day and a breakthrough India desperately needed at that stage.
“It was going to come in this Test match, probably fitting that it was the first wicket to fall. Just when India needed that breakthrough, he was the man who got it. I have got to take my hat off to him. It is brilliant to see, especially a finger spinner to get to 500 Test wickets. I have always been a huge fan of his bowling. To get to 500 Test wickets in less than 100 Tests is a massive thing,” says Swann during the break from his commentary stint.
Well before the series got underway, two Ashwin milestones everyone was waiting for were the 500th Test wicket and the 100th Test. The 100th, if there are no fitness concerns, will anyway happen in the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala but the venue of the 500th Test scalp was anybody’s guess. At the pre-match press conference, Ravindra Jadeja remarked that it should have happened in the Hyderabad Test only but he was happy that his long-time teammate will achieve the historic feat in his hometown. “It’s destiny,” Jadeja said.
‘Love for the craft’
From trying different load-ups before a long series to exploring various angles to testing new deliveries (even leg spin), Ashwin has always been a bowler who has never stopped trying, never afraid to experiment and never stopped thinking about the game or his craft.
“When I started playing Test cricket, I was probably ready to play red-ball cricket but not a finished product. Like every other spinner you do gain, you do learn. I had a second tour to Australia, and there was a lot to learn from that tour. I understood actions, I understood bowling mechanics. I understood my bowling inside out over the years. There is still a constant urge to learn, and get better. I might just turn up tomorrow morning and try something new. And that’s what I’ve learned from over the years.
“And it’s also the love for the craft, and love I have for trying to excel at what I do. Because I started late with my spin bowling, I don’t attach my bowling quality to one particular action or one particular method. So I’ve had to always use new techniques and methods to be able to gain that extra advantage, if I may so. So that’s probably why I’ve constantly, you know, nurdled the eyes of a lot of senior cricketers who feel that I just try too much,” Ashwin explains why he continues to try different things.
Eat, sleep, cricket, repeat
When Ashwin is not playing cricket, he is watching it. When he is not watching cricket, he is talking about it. When he is not talking about cricket, he is tweeting about it. Even when the rest of his teammates enjoy the break between series cooling their heels at home, Ashwin finds time to churn out videos on YouTube and also watch a Ranji Trophy match between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu at Chepauk.
“I am in a really, really good space in my life and I want this to continue, and I don’t want to let go of the love for the game. At one point in my life, I was in a really dark space, and I didn’t want to watch the game, and that’s not where I want to go in my life ever again. I am happy to watch the game: last night I watched Afghanistan-Sri Lanka play in the third ODI highlights, I watched live New Zealand versus South Africa. So I mean, this is who I want to be and I’m glad,” says Ashwin.
Now that 500 is out of the way, the next number which everyone is going to talk about is Anil Kumble’s 619 – the most Test wickets by an Indian bowler. Is Ashwin thinking about it?
“The very simple answer is no, 120 wickets away man. Like I said, every day is what I want to live for. And you know I’m 37 years old. I don’t know what’s in store next or what’s in store in the next two months. You play this series, and then what lies ahead? You really don’t know. So I mean, I don’t want to really jump the gun. I have kept it this way for the last 4-5 years and it’s been very simple. And it’s worked for me. Why change anything that’s working for you?” came the response.
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