“I’m indebted to Dhoni,” Ravichandran Ashwin recalls how MS Dhoni changed his career

Ravichandran Ashwin says MS Dhoni giving him the new ball in the 2011 IPL final changed his career.

“I’m indebted to Dhoni,” Ravichandran Ashwin recalls how MS Dhoni changed his career

MS Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin during the 2018 IPL (Image via ESPN)

Recently, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association held an event to felicitate Ravichandran Ashwin. The event was held after the off-spinner took 500 wickets and played 100 Tests for India. In the event, the veteran off-spinner said he was indebted to MS Dhoni for his career. 

R. Ashwin spoke about how he sat for the entire 2008 season on the bench. He called himself a nobody, and barely got to play as the team already had Muttiah Muralitharan. Ashwin called the turning point of his career the moment MS Dhoni decided to give him the new ball in the 2011 IPL final. 

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I am indebted to Dhoni for the rest of my life for what he gave me. He gave me an opportunity with the new ball to go head on with Chris Gayle and 17 years later Anil bhai would be talking about the same episode.
Ashwin during the event

Defending a huge score of 206, Ashwin was bowling to RCB openers Mayank Agarwal and Chris Gayle. In the fourth ball of the over, he dismissed Gayle, who was trapped by a straight ball. Ashwin went on to make his Test, ODI and T20I debut under Dhoni. 

Ravi Shastri believes Ravichandran Ashwin still has years of cricket left 

Ravi Shastri was present during the event to facilitate Ravichandran Ashwin for his milestone of 100 Tests and 500 Test wickets. Shastri, who used to be the head coach of India, said that he believed Ashwin had another few years as a cricketer and hopes he can continue “harassing batters”. 

Ravi Shastri and Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravi Shastri watches Ravichandran Ashwin bowl in training (Image via ESPN)
Achievements of gigantic proportions. It's no joke. Wish you the best. I believe you still have a lot of cricket left. Spinners mature with each passing age. Feel very proud. Well done, enjoy and keep harassing batsmen for at least a couple of years more.
Ravi Shastri said

Rahul Dravid, who was also present, praised the spinner. The Indian head coach claimed that he hoped the spinner had more cricket in him and hailed him for inspiring young cricketers. 

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