File image of Virat Kohli.© AFP
Ravichandran Ashwin retired from international cricket in December last year. He called time on his career after scalping 537 Test wickets, the second-most by any Indian bowler. Apart from this, the off-spinner picked 156 ODI wickets and 72 in T20Is. What made Ashwin special was his evolving game sense. He never feared experimenting on his bowling to challenge the batters of the modern generation. This is the reason the spinner was a threat to even the best of the batters, especially in the longest format of the game. Ashwin is someone who possesses great knowledge of cricket and some terrific analysis. These all helped him become a legendary cricketer.
While talking about the difference between bowling and wicket-taking ability, Ashwin pointed out how a suggestion from Virat Kohli to pacer Akash Deep backfired during India’s recently-concluded Test tour of Australia.
“In the recently concluded Test series. Akash Deep was bowling a fabulous spell at The Gabba. He was probably bowling the best at The Gabba, Jassi (Jasprit Bumrah) wasn’t. He was going through a wonderful spell of 3-4 overs. I was watching the game from outside. No offence. I saw Virat (Kohli) run up to him and said ‘Seedha daalo yaar (bowl straight buddy)’ and immeditely out came a fielder and he went to leg gully. Akash Deep bowled on the body and a couple of balls down the leg side, got flicked, got pulled, and his rhythm went awry,” said Ashwin at AWS AI Conclave 2025.
“So why does this happen? In Virat’s head he thought ‘That is uncomfortable for me so you do that against Steve Smith, you are going to get him out’. Now, bowling is very different. If I need to hit the right length, I need to start. There could be a slope at a particular ground which would stop me from bowling the perfect length so I get into a rhythm.
“If you understand a bowler, you know he is going through a right spell. Do not disturb him, allow him to build on his spell,” he added.
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