Having wrapped the Indore Test inside three days, the Indian team decided to have a training session in the evening under the lights with the pink ball and Ashwin imitated the great Sri Lankan all-rounder Jayasuriya. Jayasuriya had started his career as a spinner, but later turned into a beast when he was asked to open the batting for Sri Lanka, although he then became a part-time left-arm spinner, he still managed to take 323 ODI wickets, which is the fourth-highest by any cricketer for Sri Lanka behind Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga.

He especially loved to play against India and showed his class with the ball in the 1996 World Cup semifinal at the Eden Gardens where he dismantled the Indian batting order with his spin bowling. Ashwin too is among one of the most elite spinners India has ever produced, being only the third Indian apart from Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh to pick 250 wickets at home.