“I Lost 7-8 Kgs in The Lockdown” – Ravichandran Ashwin

The current Indian test team is full of world-class players. But if we were to pick a ‘legend’ from a pool of some ‘really great players’, it would most definitely be R Ashwin. The brand of cricket that the man has played in last 2-3 months has been just phenomenal.

Call him a ‘home-track bully’, he performs well in Australian pitches, give him a pitch that has very little for bowlers, he will help you with the bat. In fact, give a most certain Loss, he will save the match for you. (The great escape in Sydney against Australia)

“Modern Day Legend” Ashwin, as described by Virat Kohli, has also managed to pick 400 wickets in Test cricket in just 77 matches. Second , only to the Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan.

After having achieved this amazing feat at the Motera, here’s what the 34-year old had to say in the post match presentation.

“I think my bowling was coming along beautifully in the IPL too. I lost about 7-8 kgs in the lockdown and everything looked upwards for me. I can’t really get a grip of what has happened in the last 2-3 months. It has been a dreamy run and a fairy tale. I don’t know if I’m ageing, but it’s incredibly hard to watch the game. To come back [after losing the first Test] and win it is even more special,” said R Ashwin in the post-match show.

“I Won’t Be Surprised If I Improve Further In The Future”: Ravichandran Ashwin

Further in the interview, Ravichandran Ashwin was asked whether this was the best he had bowled. Ashwin also shared his thoughts on how the match went and praised his fellow spinner Axar Patel, who picked a Man of the Match award-winning 11/70 in the match.

“In 2015-16 everyone asked me (if I’m bowling at my best), in 2016-17, one thing is sure I’ve always wanted to improve. I won’t be surprised if I improve further in the future,” Ravichandran Ashwin said.

“We were worried after getting bowled out for 145, didn’t think we didn’t have many runs on the board. But we then bowled beautifully on a wicket assisting us. But Axar bowled beautifully in the third innings,” Ravichandran Ashwin concluded.