Ravichandran Ashwin
Credit: PTI File Photo
DHNS: All through his career, R Ashwin has drawn a lot of flak for trying too hard, trying too much, being cute, but Graeme Swann shot the critics down, saying: “He has 500 wickets!”
“I don’t think anyone can say anything negative about him,” said the former English spinner. “How can you criticise his desire to experiment? Basically, you’re saying you’re not happy with that which makes him great. That’s unfair to someone who has been such a match-winner for India.”
“I take my hat off to him and what he has done for the art of off-spin. I am a huge fan of his bowling,” he added.
While Ashwin’s numbers are remarkable, an argument can be made for greater numbers should he have gotten more chances to play abroad in his career.
Out of the 98 Tests he has played, Ashwin has played 31 Tests outside Asia, owning mostly to his one-dimensional offering as a bowler.
“As a spinner from India, you’re naturally going to be good in these conditions. The same if you’re a spinner from Australia. There’s a reason why Nathan Lyon is not as good in India as he is in Australia, and that doesn’t mean he’s not a great spinner,” said Swann.
“I don’t think Ashwin should be judged on his performances abroad. I think bowlers should be judged on if they were able to win matches for their team, and under what circumstances. That’s all that matters in the end.”
Swann also spoke about how spin as an art has become a marginally easier form since the advent of the Decision Review System, saying it actually helped off-spin come back from the dead.
“The art form was dying out, but the introduction of DRS was very useful for us. Finally, leg before wicket are being given out,” he explained. "Before DRS came along, I have seen spinners just turn back and get to their marks even though they knew it was plumb. The batters would just plonk their legs forward and let the ball strike the pads.
Ashwin’s desire to study the sport and deconstruct it has become a stuff of legends. Swann says he didn’t have the interest for such a deep dive. Instead, he relied on a feel for it.
“He almost always goes above and beyond everyone else when it comes to detail,” he revealed. “I play it by feel, how the ball felt out of my hands and that was enough for me. I was more than happy to bury my head in the sand and say ‘this feels great’ and I would continue to roll with it until it doesn’t feel good. Ashwin can’t do that. He’s forensic about this and that’s not easy to do. That’s just professional spin bowling. He’s happy to do it, I wasn’t when I was asked to.”