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Ravichandran Ashwin Shines with the Ball as India Dominates West Indies in First Test
Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin put on a show with the ball as India dominated West Indies on the opening day of the first Test in Dominica. Ashwin ran through the Caribbean batting line-up, returning with a record-breaking 33rd five-wicket haul to bundle out the hosts for a paltry 150 in their first innings. Kraigg Brathwaite, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Alick Athanaze, Alzarri Joseph and Jomel Warrican were his victims with the ball.
Ashwin Motivated by World Test Championship Final Snub
After the day’s play, Ashwin admitted that the disappointment of missing out on selection for last month’s ICC World Test Championship Final against Australia spurred him on. “As a cricketer when you have a shot at a WTC Final and to sit out is fine. For me, it was how do I respond and how do I make sure the dressing room is up and about,” Ashwin quoted as saying by ICC after India reached 80/0 at stumps on Day 1. “Winning the WTC Final is the most important thing and it could have been a very high point in my career and I could have played a good role in it, but it was just unfortunate that it didn’t pan out and the first day left us too far behind in the shed. But what is the difference between me and another person that is going to sulk (about being dropped). All I would like to give my teammates and India cricket as a whole is some understanding and my best efforts on the field and that is where I would like to leave it.”
Ashwin Surpasses James Anderson’s Record
Ashwin’s latest heroics means he now has 33 five-wicket hauls to his name in Test cricket – the most by any current bowler. With the figures of 5/60 in Dominica, the ace off-spinner surpassed England legend James Anderson and he now occupies the sixth spot on the overall list. However, the No. 1 ranked Test bowler played down the record-breaking haul and said the only thing that matters to him is helping his team achieve success on the field.
Ashwin Reflects on the Importance of Team Success
“Rahul bhai (India coach Rahul Dravid) always says it’s not the wickets or the runs that you remember,” Ashwin said. “The first time I met him as coach he made a statement and he said ‘it’s not about how many runs you make and how many wickets you take, as you will forget about all of them and it is the great memories that you create as a team that will stick with you’. And I am totally behind that. I don’t know if he has brainwashed me to do that, but from my point of view I definitely think I have got a lot of gratitude and am very grateful for the journey and what the game has given me.”
Learning from Lows and Staying at the Top
Ashwin has experienced his fair share of ups and downs in an illustrious Test career so far. For him, it’s the lows that have helped him stay at the top of his game. “There is no cricketer or human being in this world that has gone through the highs without the lows,” he stated. “When you have lows it gives you opportunity. You can either sulk, talk about it or complain about it and go along with it and go down, or you learn from it and I am someone who has constantly learned from my lows. The best thing that will happen today after this good day that I have had, is that I will have a good meal and a good talk to my family and go to bed and forget about it. When you have a good day you know you have had a good day, but there are days you can work hard and get better for tomorrow. It is not a journey that has been very easy, so for me the journey has been draining but I am very thankful for all the lows that have come my way also because without the lows there are no highs in your life.”
