Ravichandran Ashwin retired from international cricket last month.
During his international career, Ashwin did extensive research in decoding a batter's technique. In fact, he once tried to analyze Steve Smtih's technique in such a way that his wife Prithi Narayanan was left concerned.
Speaking at the AWS AI Conclave 2025 in Bengaluru, the former India star said that Prithi wouldn't have been faulted for thinking he had a 'man crush' on Smith.
"I got him out him in Australia. I don't know how many times I watched Steve Smith bat, I can't even remember. My wife was in the room, my kids were in the room. I don't think I saw them properly at all for a few days. Like I kept zooming in on something, my wife watched from behind and said 'what the hell are you watching? Why you going so close on Steve Smith? Do you have like a...'. I think she was concerned and rightly so. I wouldn't have faulted her if she thought I had a man crush on him," Ashwin said.
"I went so close. I was actually zooming in on his hands. I genuinely needed more people or more data or more intervention to help me out with that but I didn't have it," he added.
Ashwin retired from the international arena with immediate effect last month. He represented India in 106 Tests, 116 ODIs, and 65 T20Is, picking up 765 wickets across all formats.
The off-spinner finished his career as the country’s second highest wicket-taker (537 scalps) in Test cricket, only behind the legendary Anil Kumble’s record tally of 619 dismissals.