India is leading the series 2-1, with the decider set to start on 1st July.
Ace spinner R Ashwin was extremely proud of India's performance against England the previous year, but for him personally, missing all four Test matches was a disappointing experience.
His best opportunity to play came during the third Test at The Oval when it was suggested that two spinners could be used. However, the team management decided to stick with just one and chose Ravindra Jadeja.
The rescheduled fifth Test match from that series will be played from July 1 onwards at Edgbaston ground which is historically a ground conducive to spinners and it might mean that Ashwin gets to play his first Test of the series.
Though his arrival in England was delayed due to COVID infection, Ashwin showcased some strong bowling in the second innings of the warmup match against Leicestershire.
“I have had my own mental conditioning coach. I have gone through a lot personally, and I tend to forget things very quickly now. So, what happened last year in England I have forgotten it; only the good things I try to carry forward.
“I will be so happy and gunning for the team to win 3-1 because I can turn back and say I was in an Indian team which won in Australia, which won in England. Unfortunately, we couldn’t win in South Africa, so that’s what I want,” Ashwin said during a recent event in Mumbai.
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On being asked if there are nagging thoughts that he should be a regular team member in overseas Tests, Ashwin said, “I have been taught cricket very differently. You can’t challenge conditions, if the conditions are against you, you have to make the best choices. Somewhere I feel these things go out of the window and personal vendetta does come through and that’s why I have this habit of saying, 'okay forget things and move on”, said the holder of 442 wickets in 86 Tests.
With seven five-wicket hauls in 10 games, the spinner has a remarkable record in County cricket.
Despite some impressive performances abroad, Cheteshwar Pujara's position in the side has occasionally been questioned, just as Ashwin's.
After India's series defeat in South Africa at the beginning of the year, Pujara lost his spot in the team. Through a string of outstanding performances in County cricket, he has won his place back in the lineup.
“Pujara was a thoroughbred Test cricketer always. Sometimes it’s just my thought process, in India, IPL is the biggest stage at this point of time and sometimes… we can tend to get carried away by the stage. Pujara has remained authentic.
“With respect to all that, we need to understand that he has done a very thankless job. He walks in at No 3, he doesn’t complain, he keeps grinding it out. I am so glad he went and made runs and earned his place back in the side. At the end of the day, good guys should win, they shouldn’t finish last,” added Ashwin.
(Hindustan Times inputs)