India’s premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin feels he is scheduled for another ‘purple patch’ in the longest format, provided his body doesn’t give it away. He is often been termed as one of the most successful and skillful bowlers in the traditional format because of the fact that his research and development department always runs in overdrive mode.
With the tally of more than 350 Test scalps in 71 Tests, Ashwin is the joint-fastest along with legendary Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan to pick 350 Test wickets. His accuracy and precision with the ball is what separates him from his contemporaries.
In the latest episode of ESPNcricinfo Videocast that airs on Saturday, the 33-year-old said WV Raman’s discipline had a great influence early on in his career. He explained, “W.V. Raman who is known to be a straight forward and extremely disciplined man trained us to throw the ball accurately that should land above the stumps. He also maintained that I stand no chance as a spinner if I cannot hit the top of the bat of a batsman every time I bowled.”
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Ashwin said that Raman, who is currently working as the head coach of India Women’s cricket team, had a great role in shaping his rhythm as an off-spinner.
Talking to Sanjay Manjrekar, the Indian spinner said, “In fact, W.V. Raman was the first person who with or without his knowledge, inculcated this self-conscious training inside me. He would keep telling me, you’re running 10% slower or you’re running 15% faster. And this put me in a great place when I started playing first-class cricket”
The Chennai-born spinner calls himself a ‘hardened’ T20 cricketer but it is the longest format in which he has tasted maximum success. And he is far from being done in the game’s long-form.
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Describing the same Ashwin said, “If my body is in great space, I think Test cricket I just have another streak of a great purple patch I am looking at. I believe I am a hardened professional in T20 cricket, and good at what I do. Wherever I play I will be able to deliver, with the experience that I have got and the courage that I have.”
Ashwin said the ICC’s plans to trim Test cricket by a day don’t excite him. He feels if Test cricket gets reduced it’s not going to be healthy as it will be taken out a very fascinating aspect of the game.
