'I am totally at peace' - Ravi Ashwin on his hopes of white-ball return

Ravi Ashwin has been one of the biggest match-winners in the history of Test cricket. Even after performing incredibly well in red-ball cricket, the Tamil Nadu off-spinner has not been considered for the limited-overs squads. But, Ashwin isn’t too concerned about not being picked in the white-ball teams.

In a recent interaction, Ashwin said that he finds it laughable when he is constantly asked about his white-ball dreams. The experienced spinner has played 111 ODIs and 46 T20Is for India. But, the last of those matches had come way back in 2017. Since then, Indian selectors have kept Ashwin as a red-ball specialist, picked other young spinners. 

The 34-year-old took 32 wickets in four matches in the recently concluded Test series against England. He has scored a century during the series. When he got the man of the series award, certain sections of the media and public started speculating a potential return to the ODI and T20I squad. 

I find those questions are really laughable because I am totally at peace: Ravi Ashwin

During the interaction, Ashwin said that he is not too much worked up about his white-ball return and is extremely happy where he is in life right now.

“A lot of times, people tell these lines on leadership forums that you need to compete with yourself. But I have definitely found the balance and learned in life about how I must be competing with myself and be at complete peace when I am doing that. Because when some of these questions are asked about my ODI return, T20I return, white-ball dreams and all these things, I find those questions are really laughable because I am totally at peace and extremely happy with the life I am leading right now,” Ravi Ashwin told India Today in an exclusive interview.

With experience, it seems Ashwin has stopped taking any pressure on himself and started enjoying his game even more. He said that he would definitely deliver a game-breaking performance if he is given an opportunity. Ashwin will be next seen in the IPL 2021, where he dons the Delhi Capitals’ uniform. 

“That given an opportunity anywhere, I would make a game-breaking performance which I am almost certain about because of the space I find myself in. What questions people have to ask what opinions people have, I am not worried about it at all. As of now, every single game I play out there in the park, I want to leave a smile on my face, and everybody else’s,” Ashwin added.

Indian captain Virat Kohli was recently asked about Ashwin’s return but he backed Washington Sundar by saying that it is not an option to leave him now that he has performed well.