Ravichandran Ashwin feeling relaxed after a decent outing in Centurion with the ball

Ravichandran Ashwin has been one of the mainstays of the Indian spin bowling attack for a while now. The offie has crossed the 300-wicket mark recently. He is the quickest bowler to reach this landmark; getting there in just 54 tests surpassing the record held by the great Dennis Lillee. He has had a terrific home season picking some huge number of wickets.

However, Ashwin has always been scrutinized for his performance in away tests. He didn’t get a chance to feature in many of the away tests in recent times. He has picked 89 wickets at an average of 31.25 which is pretty ordinary for a bowler of his class. But in the test series going on in South Africa, he has been picked as India’s lone spinner getting a nod ahead of Ravindra Jadeja.

Ashwin leads India comeback

The ongoing test match against SA has already seen the Indian team being severely criticized for their team selection. Adding to their woes, the Indian team had picked up only 3 wickets in the first two sessions. The fast bowlers went wicket-less until then causing agony among the fans. In such a dire situation, it was the off-spinner who had got India back into the game. There were questions raised regarding his selection as he had bowled only 49 deliveries in Cape Town.

Putting all speculations aside, Ash had bowled his heart out giving India the much-needed relief after the first day’s play.Speaking to the reporters after the action in the middle, Ash said that it was one of the most relaxing days of his career. “I wasn’t really thinking too much and delivering the ball. My only intent was to try and keep it in a particular spot. Try and deliver from different positions in the crease, I was really enjoying it,” he added. He opined that 2013-14 tour was a reality check for him and it hit his professional pride.

Ravichandran Ashwin said that he has worked hard on his bowling in the last 2-3 years. Moreover, he has been trying different actions and release positions. Further, he has been working on a few deliveries to add variety to his bowling. He had bagged the crucial wickets of Elgar, Markram and de Kock on day 1. Playing for Worcestershire in England on flat tracks would have definitely helped his cause. Ashwin’s performance in the remainder of the match will be crucial for India as the track is assisting turn and bounce.

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