Chennai: R. Ashwin was brutally honest when he spoke to this newspaper on the influence of different coaches on Team India over the years. The off-spinner, who had a phenomenal West Indies tour, also spoke about his “unanswered questions” to former India coach Duncan Fletcher, Laxman’s help in batting and the tough period of feeling low after the no-ball that cost India an entry into the World T20 final.
Excerpts:
How different is Anil Kumble from his predecessors, Ravi Shastri and Duncan Fletcher?
Shastri was very different from Fletcher. He was a confidence-oriented man. I wouldn’t really like touch up on Fletcher at all. I ask a lot of questions and people think I am trying to gauge them or threaten them. What they don’t understand is that only when I get clarity for my questions, can I implement them in my game. If my questions go unanswered I don’t think the person at the other end is doing his job.
I belong to a school of thought where I need a lot of clarity. It’s my career which is at stake. I don’t think I have a career beyond 36-37. When people ask me to make a change, I will make it only when I get convinced. Mind you, I am one of the very few cricketers going around and making changes quickly. That’s one thing I conveyed to Shastri. I am okay to changes, but I will ask a lot of questions. Shastri initially thought I was a bit complicated. And very recently, he said he has never seen a person who works with more conviction than me.
Shastri made a lot of difference in the team, especially to me. When I was left out for the Durban Test in 2014, I thought that was one of the lowest points of my career. But the Adelaide Test was a notch down. It was one of the worst periods of my career. Shastri, however, made me trust my own ability.
Does Kumble answer your questions?
For me, Kumble is an idol. I am probably the wrong person to comment on him. I don’t think many people will say negative things about Anil. He is intense and it helps me because I am a serious character too. He doesn’t really push the panic button that often. Everything about Anil is very different from other coaches I have come across.
Two hundreds, two five-wicket hauls, two man-of-the-match awards. Were you on top of your prowess in the West Indies?
I wouldn’t say that I was at my best. I could have been a lot better, in terms of being a little more fitter. I definitely had a bit of jetlag from the IPL which had taken away a bit of sting in whatever fitness I had worked on. But over the period in the Caribbean, I got fitter again. Looking forward to the season, I would look to keep my niggles away and keep getting better as a player.
You have won six player of the series awards in 13 series. No one has achieved it in this short span of time. Now you are just seven short of your wicket no. 200 in Tests. What do these number mean to you?
They will mean a lot, but only at the end of my career. That’s when I can look back and take pride from the records. Now it’s just a boost going into the next series. I think about them only when people talk about it. These are the benchmarks I have set for myself. I am competing strongly with myself, not anyone else.
Expectations will be more when the packed home season starts against New Zealand later this month...
I agree, these expectations are built up by me. I have nothing to complain because people are expecting me to reach my own benchmark. I am ready to live with that. People have only held me against my performances.
Does the batting promotion (No.6) give you more confidence?
I always thought I was a good batsman to play up the order, especially in Test cricket. I can also do well in limited overs, given a little bit of time in the middle before accelerating at the end. I have had chats with Dhoni (on batting up the order) before on a few tours and unfortunately it hasn’t materialised. I had also spoken with Virat about it. As soon as the toss was over in the first Test, Virat came to me and said I was going to bat at No. 6 and Saha at 7. VVS Laxman helped me a bit with batting. I had worked on my stance in addition to leaving a lot more balls. I knew where my off-stump was and I left the balls really well throughout the tour. I had a bigger front-foot stride. Towards the end of the West Indies tour, I already started working on what I needed to be done for New Zealand and I hope it works out well.
Do you have a target for Ashwin the batsman?
Absolutely not. Some six-eight months ago, there was a weird feeling. I thought I would just end up with two hundreds (those I scored before), but in a matter of series, I made another two. I have more Test hundreds now than I got in domestic first-class. I don’t think there is a limit to what I can achieve. I am far more mentally stronger than a lot of others from the past.
During the World T20 and IPL, there were many occasions where you had gone without completing your quota of four overs. There were suggestions that you were under-utilised. How difficult was that phase?
It was very unfair from some people who were talking bad about my bowling for not completing my quota of four overs. It made no sense to me. It was a little hurtful and it was an unfortunate time. But then I realised, people were actually talking about Ashwin, the benchmark that I had set. Towards the end of the IPL, I bowled four overs in a few matches and got a four-wicket haul. When all this was happening, I was not getting an opportunity to excel. It felt a little low at those times. Preciously, I knew the time would pass and my time would come. Like Virat, I also like to take centre stage. But we are contrasting characters. He expresses himself really well and I try to stay calm. If I get flustered it’s always outside the ground and with my family mostly.
Do you think people made a big deal out of the no ball to Lendl Simmons in the World T20 semi-final?
The entire country and fans thought bowling that no ball cost India a place in the final. It’s fair enough. But I hadn’t bowled a no ball before. It turned out that it was in the semi-final. That was a lesson for me;
I learnt a thing or two that could only help my bowling. My T20 bowling has got better from that point.
Before you bowl an over, do you construct every ball?
The first couple of overs are generally to get my rhythm going and then the way batsmen play it is how I perceive it. Initially, I want to have the upper hand over the batsmen. If a particular batsman constructs his innings well against me, then I try to gauge what should be done.
You prefer a batsman who attacks you or someone who plays you out?
I don’t mind a batsman attacking me. At the same time, I find batsmen who defend me also easy to get rid of. I am a little foolish to think that I can get a batsman out at short-leg on a first day pitch in Australia. You have to be foolish to think that you can.
What mode of dismissal pleases you the most?
Of late, I have been enjoying a lot of success with left-handed batsmen nicking me to slip. I beat a lot of right handers through the gate, but I miss them over the stumps, because of my bounce. It beats the keeper as well, very often. I love that mode of dismissal. Recently, I hit Jason Holder on top of the off-stump for my fifth wicket in Antigua. That was very pleasing.
Spinners are doing well with the pink ball. Are you eager to bowl with that?
I saw Nathan Lyon also bowl well in Australia. He got a lot of bounce in that Test match. I had a chat with him, it seems he enjoyed. Batsmen are saying it’s difficult to spot the seam, but I don’t know how many of them see the seam and bat in normal Test match! If it brings crowd to the game, I am ready to jump in. But I don’t think I am playing the Duleep trophy final.
On playing in the TNPL for Dindigul in the remainder of the tournament:
I might play in one or two, but I haven’t decided my itinerary because I am currently resting and planning to start training. I surely need some rest.
