The 38-year-old has become a bigger force than the one he was a few years ago, not only with his off-spinning guile but his much-improved batsmanship. His fighting yet aggressive ton in the first innings of the opening Test against Bangladesh was further proof that Ashwin is among the top echelon of players in the longest format.
So how does he continue to remain at the elite level and excel on the international stage? Ashwin, speaking after the conclusion of the second day’s play at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday, came up with a crisp but powerful response.”I used to be critical (about myself). I had put a lot of pressure on myself and people had put pressure on me. I used to be happy about it. But it is not like that anymore,” said Ashwin, whose 113 placed India on top and delighted the home crowd.
“The most important thing for me is to enjoy my cricket. I want to play cricket with a smile on my face. Four or five years ago, I had promised myself that I will not respond to anyone. I had promised myself that I will play for my happiness. I have been maintaining that promise till now,” added Ashwin, one of the driving forces behind India’s near-invincible home record in Tests over the last 10 years or so.
Ashwin has “embraced” the tough challenges that have come his way. When he walked out to bat on the opening day, India were in the doldrums against a Bangladesh side brimming with confidence. He took the task head-on and ensured the visitors had no avenue to mount more pressure.
“As a cricketer, the pride is in the performance. You want to win and you play the game for that. I do enjoy pressure, there is no doubt about it,” said Ashwin. “That is one of the reasons I love playing this sport. It gives you opportunities to respond when you are pushed to a corner. For me, it is about being in the present and using the experience from the past to negotiate hard situations,” he said.
Ashwin, a keen learner, is constantly striving for “progress” and pursuing excellence even though age is not on his side. He is doing all of it for the sake of “happiness”. “You want to be good and you want to excel. You feel happy at the end of the day (when you perform). Every time I do well, I am in a good, happy state of mind. That is why you get on this journey. You want to excel on the global stage. People are watching you and you feel happy about it.”