After scripting India’s thumping victory over Bangladesh in the Chennai Test, star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin acknowledged that it is now more about taking one match at a time than fitting the whole season in a single frame.
Notably, India will play nine more Test matches in the next four months. The two-match series against Bangladesh will be followed by three Tests against New Zealand at home in October-November and then five Test matches as part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
"Like you rightly said, it's a long season. It's tough. Sometimes when you look so far ahead, it can be quite difficult. You're playing like 3-4 months of cricket, and 10 Test matches," Ashwin told reporters after the first Test against Bangladesh at Chepauk.
"But sometimes you can't think like that. You have to stack it up (one match at a time). I did put in a bit of work getting into it. I need to have some reserves in the tank," he added.
The 38-year-old also wanted to use the breaks in between Tests or two series to keep himself in a sound physical state.
"There are good breaks between games. Hopefully, we'll get small windows for me to keep ironing it out (fitness). More than skill, I think it's about physically being able to go through the season which is of utmost importance for me," he said.
Accordingly, Ashwin has tweaked his fitness routine as well. "It's not the same as if you play 25, 26, 30 or even 35. 38 is different to 35. Every bit of work that you put, you have to put in doubly hard to earn the right to be there.
"So, I have reduced my strength training sessions. I work differently on mobility and other aspects of life. I do a bit of yoga. It's good," he explained.
While Ashwin hogged the headlines for his all-round show – a hundred and six wickets in the Chennai Test – his spin partner Ravindra Jadeja played the role of second fiddle to perfection, bagging five wickets and playing a crucial 86-run knock in the first innings.
"He's been a very inspirational story. Many of these occasions over the last 3-4 years, when he's walked in to bat, I feel so calm and composed in the dressing room. It's such an inspirational story about how he's found his off-stump, how he's contributed," Ashwin said in praise of Jadeja.
The veteran off-spinner then highlighted the importance of Jadeja, the fielder. "Jadeja on the field is a fire. He's a rocket on the field. So, all in all, I envy him. I'm jealous of him but totally admire him. I've learnt to admire him for the last 4-5 years, even more than I have in the past,” he said.
Talking about his contest with Jadeja, Ashwin said it’s a healthy one to discover the better self of himself.
"Sometimes, when you're in the race along with your co-cricketers, you want to get ahead of one another, even inside a team. It's like brothers growing in arms, right? And then you slowly start admiring one another.
"Now, that admiration has gone one step higher, knowing that I can never beat Jadeja. So, I'm comfortable in my skin, but totally inspired by what he's done,” he remarked.
The Chennai Test marked Rishabh Pant's first in the longest format since his horrific car accident in December 2022, and the wicketkeeper-batter made his presence felt with a dazzling century (109 off 128) in India’s second innings.
Lauding Pant, Ashwin said: "I don't think Rishabh's form or ability was ever going to be in question at all. I think the way he's come back and put himself on the field is quite miraculous. I don't think there was any pressure on him.”
"He's entertaining. Not the greatest of sights for people sitting behind him to go into bat. I don't know when his turn will come. But yeah, I think he's only going to get better. He's always had the backing of the team,” he added.
(With PTI Inputs)
