Recently, Ravichandran Ashwin clarified that he comes across as a fierce competitor on the cricket field but, off the field, he likes to have fun. Ashwin, who retired from international cricket, says his on-field demeanour means people who don’t know him personally often think he’s a serious guy when it’s not the case.
Ashwin has tried to change the perception through a memoir he released earlier this year in which he gives an insight into his personal and professional lives. In a conversation with Sky Sports Cricket, Ashwin cited the example of Virat Kohli, who is known for his wild on-field celebrations.
Ashwin said, “I wanted people to know me for who I am because, a lot of times, Ashwin is picking up a wicket and Virat Kohli is all over the place. He’s just jumping about and people very often tend to believe that Ashwin’s the one that’s absolutely serious and Virat’s the one that’s having all the fun, which is why somebody asked me the question ‘Why are you serious all the time?’ My answer to that in the first place is I’m never a serious person, but when somebody is clobbering me and I have the ball in my hand to win a Test Match for my country, my mind is stuck, because I’m in the process.”
“So very often, you don’t see me picking up a five-wicket haul and pushing across a kiss through the blade of my bat to my better half sitting in the dressing room or sitting in the hospitality box. So I felt like a lot of who I am got diluted in the fact of what I’ve become. So I wanted to bring that out in my book,” Ashwin added.
Ashwin retired with 765 wickets across formats. His decision to draw curtains on his India career came midway through the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia and surprised many as the 38-year-old hadn’t given any prior indications. Even his own family was stunned. Ashwin though will continue to play club cricket and will represent Chennai Super Kings in the IPL next year.
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