R Ashwin is an all-time great who keeps getting better: Rohit Sharma

India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin played a key role in his side’s thumping victory over Sri Lanka in the first Test match in Mohali on Sunday, March 6. The 35-year-old bagged six wickets for 96 runs in the match to support fellow spinner Ravindra Jadeja’s nine-wicket haul  as India trounced the islanders by an innings and 222 runs.

India captain Rohit Sharma, who made his debut as the skipper in the long format in the game, praised the veteran spinner saying he was surprised to see the latter’s ability to get better with time and termed him an “all-time great”. His compliments for Ashwin came after the bowler went past legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev’s tally of 434 Test wickets to become India’s second-highest wicket taker in the long format after Anil Kumble (619).

Ashwin currently has 436 Test wickets and ranked ninth in the world. His next closest now is former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn with 439 scalps. However, Ashwin (85 Tests) took 46 Tests less than Dev (131) to go past his tally of 430-plus wickets.

“It’s a big thing in his cricketing career to achieve that feat you know,” Sharma said when asked about Ashwin’s feat in just 85 Tests.

“When you grow up wanting to play Test cricket, you don’t dream about these things and so to surpass that is a big achievement on his behalf. You know, I have been watching Ashwin for a long time now and every time I watch him, he seems to get better and better,” he said, adding, “Ashwin is one such player who always has confidence is in his ability in what he wants to achieve and for the team as well.”

“He is an all-time great in my eyes. He is playing for so many years and performed for the country. So many match winning performances, so for me he is an all-time great. People might have different point of views but from where I see, he is an all-time great for me,” Sharma said.

Ashwin’s record in SENA countries has been less impressive

However, Ashwin has taken 306 of his wickets in India (in 50 tests) and 349 (57 Tests) in the sub-continent. In the SENA countries, the off-spinner has taken only 70 wickets in 24 Tests. On many occasions in those countries, he has even been benched during a Test match.

Responding to Ashwin’s non-selection in those games, Sharma said, “Really, can’t tell you anything about his overseas place and why doesn’t he find it and why is he in not in the eleven.

“Obviously, I have no idea as I wasn’t part of the selection at that point and I can’t tell you what happened and why was he left out and why didn’t he play and those kind of stuff,” he added.