Having been a fine batter, maybe I should have never become a bowler: Ashwin

R. Ashwin’s exclusion was one of the main talking points during India’s World Test Championship Final against Australia. In a chat, the top-ranked Test bowler opened up about missing out on a spot at The Oval and much more

The decision to exclude R. Ashwin was one of the main talking points during India’s World Test Championship Final against Australia. In a chat, the top-ranked Test bowler opened up about missing out on a spot at The Oval, his journey and more on the sidelines of the TNPL.

You are the No. 1-ranked bowler in the world, but do you feel you are being judged on something apart from your primary skillset?

It’s a hard question to answer because we are standing right after the WTC Final. I would have loved to play because I have played a part in us getting there. Even in the last final I got four wickets and bowled really well.

Ever since 2018-19, my bowling overseas has been fantastic and I have managed to win games for the team. I am looking at it from a captain or coach’s point of view and I am just talking in hindsight, in their defence. So the last time when we were in England, it was 2-2 with a drawn Test and they would have felt 4 pacers and 1 spinner is the combination in England. That is what they might have thought going into the final.

The problem is for a spinner to come into play, it must be the fourth innings. The fourth innings is a very crucial facet and for us to be able to put that amount of runs so the spinner can come into play, it’s completely a mindset thing.

To look inwards and say, ‘okay, somebody is judging me is foolishness’. I think I am not at the stage of my career to think what others are thinking of me. I know what I am capable of. If I am not good at something, I will be my first best critic. And I will work on it and I am not someone who will sit on my laurels. I have never been made that way. So to think of who’s judging me is immaterial.

Isn’t it tough to deal with it considering that you are operating at your peak?