Don’t want to chase wickets target, just want to enjoy myself: Ravichandran Ashwin

One bowler who has is on most headlines for the last one month or so is Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. He has been at his very best and decimated the visiting New Zealand batsmen in the recently concluded three-Test series where he finished with 27 wickets. Ashwin also overhauled the 200 wickets mark becoming the second fastest bowler to achieve it.

Team India will play another 10 Test matches at home this season and going by the form he is in, Ashwin has a really good chance of getting 300 wickets as well. But he wants to keep things simple and doesn’t want to put the burden of pressure on himself by keeping statistical targets but rather aims to continue enjoying his bowling.

Talking at a promotional event today the off-spinner said, “As of now, I am not looking at any numbers or chasing any targets. I am just enjoying the space I am in. When you are really doing well, you don’t think about how well you are doing as that can lead to losing out on enjoyment from the game. So, at the moment I am not really looking too far ahead,”

He admitted that he is bowling really well and probably at peak of his career. “From last year or so, I have said that I have been bowling well. It is pretty clear from the way it is coming out of my hand. My rhythm and my action are falling in place,” he said.

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“Of course, I have been deeply thinking about my game. I am trying to grasp as to what has gone right and what went wrong. But what I have understood is that rhythm is very important. Sometimes, it is difficult getting into the rhythm and it takes some time. Throughout this series against New Zealand, I was settling into a nice rhythm as I bowled more,” he explained.

He has been the ace of Indian bowling especially in the subcontinent and loves to challenge the best batsman from the opposition. In the past he has made bunnies out of some big names like Kumar Sangakkara, AB de Villiers and New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson. When asked about that he modestly said: “Honestly, I am really lucky to put aside these names (above mentioned). To have got better of them in games that I have played so far is pleasing to me. I am going to come up against lot of good players in the coming few months. It could be very interesting and I hope that I start off on a good note.”

England will come to India next month for a two-Test series, talking about the English challenge the Chennai lad said: “England is a very good side. It is not going to be easy to put it past them. I will do my homework and try ensuring that I stick to good lines and lengths and get my rhythm going. That is going to be the most important thing.”

The selectors addressed the need for rest to those playing the Test series and especially the spinner who will be bowling the chunk of the overs and thus Ashwin and his partner Ravindra Jadeja both have been rested for the ongoing ODI series. He was glad having got this break and signed off saying, “I think I needed this break more than anybody else. I wanted this break and I needed to be really fresh,”

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