IND vs NZ | Was standing at crossroads thinking whether I would play Tests again, reveals Ravichandran Ashwin
India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has made a shocking revelation saying that he was in doubt whether he would play in Test cricket after the pandemic hit the country last year. During the Kanpur Test, Ashwin surpassed Harbhajan Singh to become the third-highest wicket-taker for India in the format.
The first Test of the two-match series between India and New Zealand ended in a draw after a nail-biting finish on Day 5. A major highlight on the day was Ravichandran Ashwin's impressive performance with the ball, as he had done in the first innings. He also played crucial knocks with the bat and stitched up valuable partnerships for India in each of their two outhings.
During the final day of the series opener, Ashwin surpassed Harbhajan Singh's tally of 417 wickets and became the third-highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket. The Tamil Nadu all-rounder revealed that he was not sure whether he would play Test cricket again after the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country.
"To be very modest about what is happening in my life and my career over the last couple of years, I did not know if I would go on to play Test cricket when we were in the pandemic, in the lockdown," Ashwin said in an interview with Shreyas Iyer shared by BCCI's official Twitter handle.
Ashwin was repeatedly overlooked from India's playing XI during the tour of England. India had toured New Zealand in February-March last year for a two-match Test series, and Ashwin had scalped three wickets in the first Test match, before being dropped for the second Test at Christchurch.
He revealed that he was in doubt whether he would play Test cricket again after his exclusion from playing XI then.
"I had not played (India's) last Test in Christchurch (which began on February 29, 2020). I was standing at the crossroads thinking whether I would play Tests again, where is my future headed, do I get in to the Test team which is the only format I am playing. But God has been kind and I have been able to turn things around,” he said.
Ashwin later joined Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2020, in which he bagged 13 wickets from 15 matches under Iyer's captaincy. He credited the youngster for playing a part in his journey.
"I then shifted to Delhi Capitals when you (Shreyas) were captain and things have changed ever since,” Ashwin said.