Ravichandran Ashwin, the maestro of spin, has encountered numerous triumphs and challenges throughout his illustrious career. However, there was a pivotal moment when an injury compelled him to reflect deeply on his future in cricket. During a heartfelt conversation with his wife, Ashwin shared his doubts and revealed that the home series against Australia could have marked the end of his journey. In an interview, Ashwin shed light on this critical phase in his career and its profound impact.
In a candid revelation, Ashwin expressed immense pride in his life’s accomplishments, extending far beyond his statistical achievements. He underscored the significance of consistent self-reinvention, particularly as cricketers grow older. However, Ashwin acknowledged that insecurity can loom large, compelling experienced players to cling tightly to their established methods, potentially hindering their progress.
During the conversation with his wife, Ashwin disclosed his concerns about a persistent knee issue that cast doubts on his future as a cricketer. Following the series against Bangladesh, he confided in his wife, Prithi, expressing his apprehension that the upcoming home series against Australia might serve as his swan song. The pain in his knee had escalated, prompting him to contemplate making adjustments to his bowling action.
“When I came back from Bangladesh, I told my wife that the Australia series could become my last series. I used to have some knee issues. I told I am going to change my action because it really got a lot of momentum and with that when I was landing, my knee was buckling a little bit. I hadn’t done enough workload because of the T20 World Cup but I was not just not happy with the way the ball was coming, it was just scrambling a little bit here.
In a bold move aimed at prolonging his career, Ashwin decided to modify his bowling action, fully aware of the risks involved. He recognized the potential consequences of altering a technique that had brought him success for several years. Seeking a remedy, he traveled to Bangalore and received an injection before reverting to his bowling action from 2013-14. Remarkably, the adjustment alleviated his knee pain, allowing him to practice with the modified action in Nagpur without any prior match experience.
“By the second Test (in Bangladesh) it started to pain. It was really swelling up. So just thinking okay, how do I do this? Because I bowled really well for three-four years, right? To change my action, it’s got to be the most stupid and ridiculous thing to do. So I came back and said, listen, there’s a lot of load on the knee, it’s time to change and I’m going to go back to my action that used to bowl in 2013-14,” he revealed.
