Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s premier off-spinner, has emphasized the importance of experimentation and adaptability in his bowling approach, as evidenced by his impressive performance in the recently concluded Test series against England.
Celebrating his 100th Test in Dharamsala, Ashwin emerged as the leading wicket-taker with a tally of 26 wickets. His success stemmed from his ability to adjust his bowling actions, speeds, and releases to suit the diverse conditions across India’s various grounds.
“Throughout the series, I have gone to different actions, speeds, and releases. India is different; each ground has a challenge. I am least bit insecure about what people feel about me,” Ashwin said at the post-match presentation.
Ashwin, 37, believes that embracing new dimensions in his bowling has been a key factor in his success. “If I am confident that I can try something, I don’t hold back. I have kept my ears and eyes open to listen to good feedback,” he said.
“Unless I try, I will never be able to learn. I am not saying sticking to one method won’t work. But thankfully experimenting and learning has helped me,” added the Tamil Nadu spinner.
Ashwin highlighted his performance on Saturday, where he claimed figures of 5/77, and his outstanding display in England’s second innings at Ranchi, where he secured figures of 5/51, as his most noteworthy outings in the five-match series.
“I was really happy with the way the ball came out (in those spells), as most pleased with this performance and the second innings in Ranchi,” he said.
Ashwin also praised the left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, acknowledging his remarkable contribution with 19 wickets across four Tests in the series. “The way the ball is coming out of Kuldeep’s hands is unbelievable. Watching a wrist spinner in such a flow and the kind of switches he has been able to make through the series and over the last 10 months is so heartening to see. I can’t be happier for somebody,” said Ashwin.
