The Ahmedabad Test against West Indies was India's first at home since Ashwin’s retirement.
India registered an emphatic innings and 140-run victory over West Indies in the first Test at Ahmedabad, wrapping up the game inside three days.
Vice-captain Ravindra Jadeja was the standout performer, scoring an unbeaten 104 and following it up four wickets (4-54) to give the hosts an unassailable 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
After scripting India’s thumping win, Jadeja admitted that he missed his long-time spin partner Ravichandran Ashwin, who called time on his international career in December last year.
The Ahmedabad Test against West Indies was India's first at home since Ashwin’s retirement.
"Obviously, we miss him. Ash has contributed so much to Indian cricket for so many years. He has been a match-winner," Jadeja replied with a smile when asked if he missed the legendary off-spinner.
"Playing a Test in India without Ash, somewhere it feels Ash would bowl now but then the realisation comes that he is not there."
"Kuldeep (Yadav) and Washy (Washington Sundar), they have played enough games so we cannot term them youngsters but it was a different combination. In future, you will say Jaddu is not there but then someone else would come along and that has to happen. This will go on," he added.
India declared their first innings on overnight score of 448/5 with a sizeable lead of 286 runs at the start of the third day and then bowled out the visitors for 146 in their second essay.
Reflecting on India’s declaration, Jadeja said, "We were thinking about the declaration last night because we thought on this wicket, 280 plus runs would be good enough."
Jadeja, who was appointed vice-captain ahead of this Test series, said it was a merely a tag and one that did not bring any change in how he approaches the game.
"Nothing like that. I have been playing the way I have been playing for the past so many years. (There is) nothing special that I need to think like that. But whenever someone asks me, what we can do, what the tactics should be… I always give my inputs so if the team wants something I am always happy to do it," he said.
"(The) vice-captaincy tags looks on the paper, but as a senior player, if a young player comes and asks me or I go and tell him something, that matters a lot in terms of what he is doing wrong and what his mindset is."
"We don't have a culture where a youngster would feel better if I go and tell him, rather than him coming to me. Everyone treats each other equally and there is nothing like senior and junior; I believe respect comes from inside and not by merely displaying it."
He added, "It's a good thing for Indian cricket that 4-5 years down the line there will be a very strong team for all conditions."
Jadeja said he wanted to get into a good bowling rhythm having not played any cricket for the past two months.
"I did not play any cricket in the last two months and I had not bowled much so I was bowling whenever I got the time," he said.
"I went to the COE, had a few bowling sessions but still I was not satisfied with my bowling. I wanted to bowl more. In practice I was bowling regularly to find my rhythm back and also line and lengths for the game," Jadeja added.
But the senior all-rounder admitted making changes in mindset and skills have helped him have a dominating run with the bat, having registered seven scores in excess of 50 in India's last six Tests.
"It feels good to be contributing to the team and as far as my batting is concerned, I have worked on it mentally as well as skill-wise. I have changed my mindset a bit, I used to play with a different mindset in the past but I have made a few changes," Jadeja said.
(With PTI Inputs)