Ravichandran Ashwin reveals restriction on pool access in Brisbane ruled him out of fourth Test
Follow Us
Ravichandran Ashwin
The final Test of the recently concluded Border Gavaskar Trophy saw India field a bowling unit with only four Tests between them. A barrage of injuries meant non of the senior pros were available for selection. Ravichandran Ashwin who was expected to recover from a back spasm was also ruled out of the Gabba Test at the eleventh hour.
The veteran off-spinner reveals that the strict quarantine protocols of Brisbane are to blame for him missing the game. India were not allowed access to the swimming pool or the gym upon arrival in Brisbane. And Ashwin asserts that greatly affected his recovery process. He is also disappointed with the ‘insensitivity’ fans showed when the tourists complained about the unnecessary restrictions in the hotel.
“It was looking good for the fourth Test, it looked like I would play. But there was an unfortunate turn of events. Even pool access was cut. The pool is an important activity in the recovery process. The physio also felt if the recovery process was in place, there was a good chance to play. It was a freakish injury.“
“After that 1-1 draw, things took a U-turn. The way things happened in Sydney and Brisbane, we had to quarantine. Sometimes it was questionable. There was insensitivity around people commenting on why we were complaining. The rules were not such. It looked like off the beat. Being the tour it was, we buckled down and put on a good show,” Ashwin told The New Indian Express.
Every time there was a challenge, somebody raised the bar
The series saw many young stars in Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Siraj among others shine. When asked if India’s bench strength caught the Aussies off guard, Ashwin had a different take. He feels that it was the resilience of the whole side which caught the opposition short of their mark. Ashwin shares that every time, India faced a hurdle, one player or another stepped up. And this had the side on their toes throughout the tour.
“I am not too sure. They got bowled out for 190 in Adelaide. With another hundred runs on the board, even that pink ball Test could have gone either way. I personally think they knew our bowling was going to challenge them all through the series. I think it is just that the team found ways to bounce back from 36 all out.“
“It’s not quite the bench strength alone that dictated the way the series went. I think every time there was a challenge, somebody in the team raised their bar. One piece of good fortune, there were new people and fresh legs especially in the bowling department walking in. Sometimes when you’re playing a long series, fresh legs and minds can do the trick,” he shares.
Stopped looking at milestones after crossing 200 wickets
Ashwin, who is currently on 377 test wickets, adds that he has stopped chasing milestones. When asked if he will be eyeing the 400 wicket mark in the Test series against England, the veteran offie feels that the tourists will put up a great fight. Ashwin goes on to point out how well-prepared England are, especially after the Sri Lanka series. He adds that India will also be in unchartered territory as they play back to back to Tests at the same venue for the first time.
“Honestly speaking, no! Had you asked me sometime ago, I would have said yes. But not now. Once I crossed 200 wickets, I stopped looking at milestones. It just happened over a course of time,” Ashwin shares. “I think the England series is going to be good. They are coming with an amazing preparation in Sri Lanka where the wicket has spun over the last two Tests. Joe Root has been batting beautifully. When we beat them 4-0 last time, they played amazingly but results did not go in their favour. We were just too good on a lot of occasions.“
“England are one of the teams who come well-prepared for a Test series. They have got good spinners and good quicks who can reverse the ball. They have got good batting order. What else can you ask for. A hard-fought Test series is surely on the cards. We have never played two back-to-back Tests at a venue in India. That also gives the touring team an ample time to get used to the conditions. These are new territory that even our team would be looking forward to adapting to,” he signs off.
Stay Updated!
Anshuman Mahapatra
(1496 Articles Published)