Ashwin reminisces on best bowling spells, turning point of career ahead of 100th Test

DHARAMSHALA: Ahead of the fifth Test against England, which would also mark his 100th appearance in white clothing, Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin talked about what he felt are some of his best bowling spells and the turning point of his Test career. India and England will lock horns in the fifth and final Test of the series in Dharamshala from Thursday, which will be Ashwin's 100th Test as well.

In 99 Tests so far, Ashwin has taken 507 wickets at an average of 23.91, including 35 five-wicket hauls, with the best bowling figures of 7/59. Combine it with his tally of 3,309 runs in 140 innings at an average of 26.14, with five centuries and 14 fifties and he is one of the most successful all-rounders of the modern era.

Despite him having joint-most five-wicket hauls for India, tied with legendary Anil Kumble, Ashwin has picked up three spells as his best, which do not involve any five-wicket hauls. These are: 3/59 against England at Edgbaston in 2018 (which England won by 31 runs), 4/113 against South Africa at Centurion that year (in which SA won as well) and his marathon spell of 2/84 in 49 overs against Australia in Bengaluru back in 2017 (he picked this over a six-wicket haul in the second innings of the match which India won).

"When you finish, it is Test wins that stand really tall," Ashwin said as quoted by ESPNCricinfo "But having given it a lot of thought, one of the finest spells I have bowled has to be the one in Birmingham in 2018. I got three wickets on the morning of day three. I got Cook, Root and Jennings. I got seven wickets in the game. I felt like I had almost bowled India to victory in the game, but it did not happen. That has to be one of the finest spells I have bowled."

"A Test in Bangalore where I bowled a spell on day-two morning, not for many rewards. And day one at Centurion in 2018 again against South Africa. I got a four-for. It could have been six or seven but it did not happen. That was a good spell. Those are three spells that will stand out. There are several five-fors and wins that have happened over the years, but these are the spells I will remember for how [the ball] came out of the hand, what it meant personally," he concluded.

The veteran spinner learnt some big lessons following England's Test series win in India back in 2012-13. During the four Test matches of the series, Ashwin took 14 wickets at an average of 52.64 and was outshined by the English spin duo of Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar. His performance left him feeling vulnerable about his position in the Test squad, questioning his own style of play and starting the process of rebuilding it. Since then, Ashwin has been one of the key figures of India's domination at home, which has seen them not lose a series since that painful defeat to England.

Ashwin said that at that time, he was too young and nervous to understand the criticism, but he eventually worked on his mistakes and is extremely grateful to have acquired the ability to learn and correct himself.

"One of the turning points of my life was the England series when Alastair Cook came here and made all those runs along with [Kevin] Pietersen, who had a great game in Mumbai. It has been spoken about a lot. Leading into the next series against Australia at home, there was a lot of noise about me being left out of the team. Recently, one of the selectors who was involved also had a chat with me about it.

"At that time, it was a bit nervy because I did not know where it came from. I had played three series. I had my first series in Australia. I had bowled really well in Melbourne and had a decent Test in Adelaide. I had been player of the series twice before that and was on the verge of being left out. I was very young and I felt, 'Is that all? Is that the time I have got here?' But when I went back and reflected upon it, there was one thing that dawned on me about what was wrong with me. And that is a wonderful lesson I have still kept with me all these years down the line."