India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin says he has “found a purpose in life,” which is pushing the experimental boundaries without worrying much about the criticism that comes your way when you choose an uncharted terrain.
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin says he has “found a purpose in life,” which is pushing the experimental boundaries without worrying much about the criticism that comes your way when you choose an uncharted terrain.
Ashwin is enjoying one of his “happiest IPL seasons” even as his 11 scalps and 183 runs won’t exactly describe the kind of impact he has made on the Rajasthan Royals’ campaign.
Ashwin, the T20 batter has been as much disclosure as Ashwin, the bowler, who tricked the risky Andre Russell with a gem that can easily be considered probably the best delivery this edition.
“This is one very different year as far as I am concerned as a cricketer and a person. Truth be told, this has easily been one of the happiest years of my experience at the IPL,”
Ashwin told Rajasthan Royal’s social media team in an interview.
For Ashwin, this year has been about exploring less navigated areas whether it was developing as a finisher with the bat or giving the team a blazing start as a special hitter.
“Nothing to do with performance and qualifications. It is about how much I have enjoyed terms of performance. The day I stop experimenting, the day I stop losing the passion for that, is the day I will be done with a game,”
Ashwin, India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests, said.
“I have been able to take my thought processes to a different level this year. How do I coin this, it’s tricky? They call it freedom of expression,”
said the current Indian team’s only “cricket scientist”.
The bowl he delivered from round the wicket to beat Russell’s neck and crop in a tense match against KKR was a signal that “some things are just meant to be.”
“I am one of those very lucky few people who have found the purpose of life. The happiest moment for me was dismissing Russell in the KKR game. I genuinely believed that turned the tide.
“Previous day at practice, I worked on running from different angles over the wicket. First time I executed that, the game was in balance and he got out, then Yuzi hattrick happened. From that moment I felt things are meant to be,”
he said.
“Earlier, I have tried this and it didn’t work and people questioned. I don’t know how people would have reacted if it didn’t work, but it worked.
Royal played the tournament with “no expectations.”
For Ashwin, the “greatest strength of this team has been playing with freedom and no expectations.”
“We should continue that and put a lot of pressure on whoever is coming up against us in the rest of the games that are left for us.”
He feels that the team might be onto something special.
“It’s a good beginning. The last time we qualified was when Shane Warne was around. Looks like we are on to something special. It’s been a great effort if I look back at the season.
“We have had our low moments but we have been pretty standard in how we have managed our inner space. Honeymoon with RR has been very good and hope it continues,”
he said.
