Ashwin’s asset is his confidence: Sunil

Social networks and news websites were abuzz on the Chennai man’s achievement of scoring a century and picking up five wickets in a Test match, which Ashwin has done twice, once in a home Test in 2011 and the second away in 2016, both against the same opponents. 

Ashwin, who returned career-best figures of 7 for 83 in the second innings, had said that he was pleased with his effort in a post-match chat. “I think it’s taken five years for me to repeat it (five wicket-haul) outside the subcontinent. And that is something I have always wanted to break. So, getting a five-wicket haul away from Asia, that is something I have worked earnestly towards, and I am very pleased for myself,” Ashwin said after getting the man-of-the-match award.

It is beyond doubt that a lot of effort has gone into Ashwin’s achievement. After a dull Indian Premier League season, in which he did not bowl his full quota of four overs in many matches, Ashwin’s exploits with the ball in the longest format took more than four sessions to come. But once Ashwin found his rhythm, he ran through the West Indian line-up to seal India’s biggest win outside Asia. 

Tamil Nadu left-arm spinner Sunil Subramaniam, who had a lengthy first-class career, said Ashwin’s perseverance is his strength. It was under Sunil that Ashwin ‘got back to basics’ after a poor England and Australia tours in 2012-13. “He was about to be dropped. That was when I spotted the chinks in his armour. We had a lengthy chat and I helped him by not letting him ‘try too many things at a time’. It was just about getting back to basics of bowling,” Sunil told DT Next. 

According to Sunil, there were minute technical changes. “He was going too far across. He wasn’t stable in landing his backfoot and that didn’t align himself to bowl in the right areas and we rectified it,” Sunil added. 

Emphaising the need of a regular introspection of action especially in a schedule like India’s, Sunil said “We had a lot of time between matches and series and learnt by trial and error. With competition sky-high it is important to get back to basics every now and then.”