Numbers are part of journey, not final destination, opines Ravichandran Ashwin

Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who recently became India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, said he never ran after numbers in his illustrious career and considers his personal milestones as “just part of the journey and not the final destination”. 

In a release issued by his new franchise in the Indian Premier League Rajasthan Royals, Ashwin said, “The numbers are great, and it’s humbling really to see what I’ve been able to do in terms of the numbers. The more I’ve played, the more it felt like the numbers are a part of the journey rather than the destination.”

Ashwin, who had bagged 12 wickets at an average of 15.08 in the recent Test series against Sri Lanka, became India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket after he surpassed India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev’s tally of 434 wickets. After the Sri Lanka series, he also became the eighth-highest overall in the history of Test cricket with a tally of 442 wickets.

“In the past 2-3 years especially, the feeling has been great, with series wins in Australia, come back into the T20 team, it almost feels like how I felt when I first broke into the team, wherein a lot has been going on for me,” Ashwin added.

Ashwin, aged 35, will represent his fifth franchise in IPL this year after being roped in by Rajasthan Royals in the 2022 auction. He said the cash-rich T20 league has helped him develop into a better cricketer from its onset.

“The IPL is a tough tournament, there are a lot of variables leading into every season which can have an impact. Dew, pitches, the opposition, you name it and there’s a variable that can impact a game in different ways – which makes it a challenge to prepare for things in advance and you’ve got to be ready at all times.

“However, for me, personally, going into an IPL season is always exciting. The IPL gives a window of experimentation, something which has enabled me to come out a richer cricketer, irrespective of the results, every time I’ve been a part of it,” he explained.

Further, Ashwin heaped praise on Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson.

“I think Sanju has got an amazing attitude and a good head on his shoulders. He’s always open for discussion, open to opinions around the game, so that’s a great quality to have.

“I do believe Sanju has got the vantage point as a wicketkeeper to judge the game with all the angles, the pitch and how things are going to work. He also has age on his side, and will definitely get better,” he concluded.