R Ashwin: The spin maestro who delivered it straight off the pitch

CHENNAI: Ravichandran Ashwin, one of the greatest off-spinners in the game’s history, is more than just a cricketing genius. From baffling batters on pitches to boldly speaking his mind, Ashwin has left an indelible mark on the game he started playing on the streets of West Mambalam to Vulture street at the Gabba.

Venturing into the big leagues through his performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL), he was up against an era of spinners who knew it all about the craft, but he reinvented and experimented it.

Over his 14-year journey, he earned nicknames like 'Scientist', '5D chess master', 'overthinker', 'spin wizard' and many more. Yet, he's just as famous for his no-nonsense attitude and fearless opinions, even when they ruffled feathers.

Who can forget the Mankad incident in the IPL when Ashwin got the better of Jos Buttler, and a whole bunch of cricket fans and experts questioned the spirit of the game? However, Ashwin famously retorted, “It’s very instinctive. It’s within the rules of the game. I don’t understand where the spirit of the game comes in; naturally, if it’s there in the rules."

Ashwin's career wasn't just about turning balls; it was about turning heads. Whether slamming critics of Indian pitches, questioning regulations or calling out double standards, he consistently voiced his thoughts—often while still under contract with the national team.

From the time he etched his entry on the long-format, which former India cricketer K Srikkanth deemed to be something “unusual yet amusing thing to achieve” referring to the unconventional route to find success from white-ball to red-ball, Ashwin was always under the radar especially being the prime spinner in India playing the long-format.

When Tests ended in two or three days in Indian wickets, the foreign media and teams criticised the spin-friendly pitches prepared considering the spin attack India had, Ashwin was outright and in fact among the first ones to slam these comments.

“Why would you talk about the surface to us time and time again? Has there been any instance where the surface has been spoken about at any other place, any other country we have played games in?” he said at the Ahmedabad Test in 2021.

Ashwin is never short of words or ideas. On his arrival to Chennai on Thursday morning, he told the media that he had no regrets. In a career that has spanned over a decade, the only thing that has eluded him is that he has never had the opportunity to captain the Indian side."

He always had leadership ambitions. He led Punjab Kings in IPL and Dindigul Dragons in TNPL. But despite not leading the country, he always took charge, be it on team meetings, team hurdles, on the field with umpires and off the field in front of the media.

He will play his final days of his franchise career reuniting with MS Dhoni and CSK. However, after he calls it quits in that too, no one can ask the conventional question of what’s next for Ashwin. He published his book ‘I Have the Streets: A Kutti Cricket Story’ earlier this year. He has millions of subscribers in his YouTube channel and also started a new Hindi channel expanding his audience. Perhaps he'd join the media bandwagon. Maybe live commentary?