Perhaps, the most striking dimension of Ravichandran Ashwin’s recent performance, where he stood with the match ball for the 37th time in his career, was the eerie sense of inevitability that loomed over the morning. As he started bowling slightly after 10.30 AM, the feeling grew stronger—something remarkable was about to unfold.
In the world of cricket, certain players possess that aura of predestination—where a century or a five-wicket haul seems fated. Batters have their emblematic strokes that exude dominance early on, while bowlers signal their threat in their initial overs. Ashwin, however, often starts instilling this anticipation even before he rolls up his sleeves. Over the last 13 years, this has prompted numerous adjustments in travel plans, firmly hinging on the assurance that Ashwin would be spinning his magic in the fourth innings. This was the scene on the fourth morning of the Chennai Test where the pitch responded with consistent turn and unpredictable bounce, courtesy of the footmarks.
Despite the buildup, Ashwin wasn’t brought into the attack until post the drinks break in the first session. Still, his presence on the field was unmistakable. As a determined partnership was brewing between captain Najmul Hossain Shanto and the experienced Shakib Al Hasan, Ashwin was spotted engaging in animated discussions with skipper Rohit Sharma and assisting Ravindra Jadeja with field placements amidst their overs, even when neither of them was currently bowling.
The first hour felt like a mere prelude before the main event—Ashwin’s takeover. It took him just four balls and a clever short-leg fielder placement, slightly obscured from the left-hander’s line of sight, to tighten the screws on Bangladesh in the first Test. The sequence of events mirrored classic Ashwin dismissals, so much so that one could almost play the scene in their mind based on the description.
Shakib Al Hasan extended to defend but ended up not smothering the bounce, leading to an inside edge onto his pad and then into the hands of the strategically positioned fielder. Similarly, the previous day, the left-hander Mominul Haque fell while defending on the front foot. Ashwin’s slower delivery deceived Mominul into playing inside the line, resulting in the ball spinning past his defense to disturb the stumps.
This pattern not only reflects Ashwin’s mastery but also underlines the inscrutabilities in cricket, a sport exhaustively analyzed and debated. Despite witnessing Ashwin’s craft for over a decade, opponents seem perennially at a loss on countering him.
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For India, Ashwin’s consistent brilliance serves as a comforting ritual—a muscle memory etched in joyous celebrations and high-fives. This assurance is particularly invaluable at the beginning of a demanding 10-Test season, amidst crucial transitions and ambitions for another World Test Championship final. Ashwin is a testament to the team’s enduring strength amid evolving circumstances.
However, this doesn’t render Ashwin’s feats effortless. At 38, amidst questions about his potential farewell, Ashwin cannot simply waltz from Chennai to Kanpur and then to Bengaluru, expecting to be perpetually exceptional. Acknowledging the rigorous demands of Test cricket, he shared his approach after the match in Chennai. “It is a long season. Sometimes looking too far ahead can be overwhelming. You’re playing 3-4 months of cricket with 10 Test matches, which is a lot,” he remarked.
“You cannot think too long-term. You have to stack it up. I’ve put in hard work preparing for it. I know I need to have some reserves. Thus, I’ve tried to build them up. Hopefully, the breaks between games will give me small windows to fine-tune. Beyond skill, staying physically able and flexible to endure the season is crucial for me.”
Ultimately, cricket, akin to the wider world, is in perpetual flux with unexpected twists, shocks, and excitements unfolding every week. Teams need new visions and personnel to adapt to change. Yet, on days like these, one discerns why certain age-old routines like Ashwin’s spell weave an enchanting narrative, resisting the tide of change.