R Ashwin : Batting at No. 6 was a complete surprise for me

He has, for long, proved his batting credentials but the expected boost up the order never came. When it did happen, in the first Test against West Indies, Ashwin took the opportunity with both hands. The spinner scored a century first batting besides Virat Kohli and then with Amit Mishra, and then returned in the second innings to take seven wickets.

Ashwin was comfortable batting with Kohli, but after his dismissal slowed down and put together his century off 237 balls. The innings did have its impact on his bowling as he went wicketless in the first innings.

"I always value myself as an all-rounder," he said. "Not like I don't look at myself that way. Batting at six, there is always that many opportunities to score a hundred than when you are batting at eight. So, I have started off well on that note. Batting at No.6, I have managed a five-for as well. I just hope I can go from strength to strength from here."

However, he came back strongly in the second taking seven wickets, two of which he returned to take after Devendra Bishoo and Carlos Brathwaite had delayed the inevitable with a dogged ninth-wicket partnership of around 100 runs. Ashwin was also pleased with his first five-wicket haul outside the subcontinent.

In the first innings, I couldn't get a good spell going because the fast bowlers were bowling really well, he said. "We actually had to short change with them for roles and try to give them a break.

"The speeds were something that was going to challenge us on this wicket, because the ball got softer," Ashwin said. "As the ball got softer and softer, it was very hard to get the ball going. It was very slow and sluggish, and so we needed to keep a tab on the pace, and use the drift pretty well."

"We were constantly in touch through different occasions of the game. I went wicketless for the first 25-26 overs I bowled in the match, and in the past, it would have definitely troubled me. I am someone who likes to keep getting wickets. I kept on speaking to him about what I was doing right and what I was not doing right. He felt my body was not going through well yesterday because I was a little tired. Also, he told I had to slow down at the crease, gave me different ideas about what lines to bowl to batsmen," he concluded.