The Prodigy of Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin is in his prime form currently. Who would gainsay this?

India is famously known for producing one of the best spinners all around the globe. Indian pitches frequently offer too much for the spinners. Over many years, India has produced some rattling and wondrous spinners including Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Bishan Singh Bedi and many more. Taking inspiration from these legends, India’s current best spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin too has a dream of registering his name in that list.

Ashwin’s test debut for India was resplendent as he took 9 wickets, only the second-highest by an Indian after Narendra Hirwani’s 16, and was awarded the Man of the Match award.  At his early times in international cricket, he didn’t get much to play. Though he was a part of the winning squad of 2011 World Cup, but he seldom got a chance to play any game ahead of Harbhajan Singh. The senior off-spinner, however, provided him with many opportunities. Grabbing those opportunities with both the hands, Ashwin soon began building a phenomenal body to work. It only got better when he registered 9 five wicket hauls in 16 tests and was a genuine threat to Erapalli Prasanna’s record of a parade to 100 test wickets in 20 matches. Ashwin’s success was very important for India when Anil Kumble retired and Harbhajan Singh’s form was nowhere to be found.

Ravichandran Ashwin has an amazing calibre of variations. He took the Sudoku ball (carrom ball) from the streets of Chennai using a tennis ball, and used it effectively in the international cricket with a bigger and harder cricket ball. He has number of variations which include the regular off-break, carrom ball, doosra and a straight delivery that grips off the ground very well. He is renowned for his wicket of Hashim Amla, which was indeed a perfect carrom ball. Have a look at it!

Being a sharp minded person, whenever the team is in pressure and needs a wicket, he sometimes uses this trick of taking a break or one can say pausing himself for couple of seconds by which he actually confuses the batsman and gets an idea of where the batsman’s foot with go. Have a gimpse of it!

For his IPL franchise- Chennai Super Kings he has opened bowling on quite a few occasions, and is more often than not preferred for the death overs.He was the Man of the Series in the 2010 Champions League which was played in South Africa.

Ashwin is not only known for his bowling, as he also bats very well. In fact Ashwin was an opening batsman in his early domestic times. He has quality shots and has scored two Test centuries till date, the first one coming in his first test series.

Captain Cool, MS Dhoni’s go to man still has a lot to offer to the game of cricket. He is now the senior spinner in the Indian squad and has more responsibilities to his name, with the bat as well as the ball, being a handy lower-order batsman for India.

He has represented India in 153 matches, including all formats, and has 309 wickets in all, which includes 12 five-wicket hauls and 3 ten-wicket hauls. His dominance in the upcoming years will be remarkable as he eyes a long future in Indian cricket. Beware, he is a man on a mission.