Perhaps, the most striking thing about Ravichandran Ashwin standing aloft with the match ball—for the 37th time if you’d lost count—was how inevitable it felt at 10:00 AM. Ashwin began bowling a little after 10:30.
Many great cricketers exude an aura of inevitability, a sense that their century or five-fer is a mere formality. Certain batters signal impending dominance through their confident shots early in their innings. Similarly, bowlers often convey this aura within their first couple of overs. Ashwin is a unique presence, often radiating this inevitability even before he gets into his spell. Over the last 13 years, numerous travel itineraries have been adjusted with the knowledge that Ashwin would bowl in the fourth innings.
This was especially true on the fourth morning of the Chennai Test, where the pitch was a spinner’s paradise, offering consistent turn and bounce off the footmarks. Ashwin wasn’t introduced until after the drinks break in the first session, yet his presence on the field was unmistakable. As captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and veteran Shakib Al Hasan formed a stubborn partnership, Ashwin was frequently seen offering suggestions to Rohit Sharma or animatedly discussing field settings with Ravindra Jadeja, even during an over that neither of them was bowling.
The first hour was seemingly just a prelude, a tantalizing tease before the inevitable Ashwin takeover. When he finally did get the ball in hand, it took him just four deliveries. A slight adjustment in the short-leg fielder’s position behind the left-hander’s eyeline began the gradual tightening of the noose around Bangladesh’s innings in the first Test. This sequence of events is so familiar that seasoned fans can visualize the dismissal process unfolding with each descriptive phrase that follows.
Shakib Al Hasan, attempting to defend, misjudged the angle and wasn’t able to get forward enough to neutralize the bounce. The ball caught the inside half of his bat, ricocheted onto his pad, and then lobbed towards the strategically placed fielder. The preceding afternoon, another left-hander, Mominul Haque, similarly failed against Ashwin’s deceptive variations. The slower ball, angled cleverly into the batsman, drifted past his defense to knock over the stumps.
This consistency and enigmatic presence describe Ashwin’s magic. Despite an era where every data point is logged, every movement tracked, and every action debated at length, Ashwin’s craft remains largely inscrutable. For 13 years, fans and opponents alike have witnessed his deeds, yet few seem to have devised a reliable strategy to counter him.
For the Indian team, Ashwin’s performances are not just a source of success but a comforting ritual. His consistent brilliance offers a sense of security in a time of transition and flux.
. With a demanding 10-Test season ahead, crucial in their quest for another World Test Championship (WTC) final, Ashwin’s presence is a priceless luxury. His ability to produce magic provides stability amid the ongoing changes within the squad.
However, none of this implies that Ashwin’s task is easy. The grind of Test cricket can be exhausting, and Ashwin, now 38 and facing questions about a potential swansong, cannot rely on sheer talent alone. This isn’t a mere hop from one pitch to another. The journey from Chennai to Kanpur to Bengaluru is fraught with physical and mental demands.
“It is a long season. But sometimes when you look so far ahead, it can be quite deflating. You are playing like 3-4 months of cricket and you are playing 10 Test matches. A lot of Test matches,” Ashwin remarked in Chennai.
“So, sometimes you can’t think like that. You have to stack it up. I did put in a bit of work getting into it. I know I need to have some reserves in the tank. So, I have tried to build it up. We will have to see. There are good breaks between games. Hopefully, we will get small windows for me to keep ironing it out. More than skill, I think it is about physically being able and pliable to be able to go through the season which is of utmost importance for me right now.”
In the unpredictable world of cricket, as in life, chaos and change are constants. Each week brings new challenges, surprises, and excitements. Teams will need to continually adapt, employing fresh strategies and incorporating new players. Yet, on days like this, the enduring allure of old habits, such as Ashwin’s timeless magic, provides a comforting stability and a reminder of the irreplaceable value of experience.