Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recalled his hilarious conversation with India skipper Rohit Sharma during the first Test against Bangladesh at Chepauk.
Ashwin was adjudged Player-of-the-Match in India’s 280-run victory over Bangladesh in the opening Test. The 38-year-old has become the subject of praise for his match-winning exploits, even as the Indian Test team is going through a transition phase.
In his latest YouTube video, Ashwin narrated an amusing anecdote about how his wife, Prithi Narayanan, sparked a conversation about age while watching the Duleep Trophy highlights. Prithi’s question led to Ashwin having a light-hearted exchange with Rohit about their age.
"We were watching some highlights the day before yesterday. My wife told me something: 'These off-spinners, won't they be abusing you in their minds while bowling?' I wondered why and realised they must be thinking 'when will he leave for us to get a break?'. Suddenly, I felt a little off. I realised, yes, I am in that phase now. Even when we were young, we used to wonder about our place in the side. Everbody does it. When I look at it now, it brings me to reality. I make you realise you have played for a lot of years," Ashwin said.
"I saw a graphic on the official broadcasting channel. They had put year-wise break-up and it ended with number 38. I am alone in that club. Then suddenly I saw Rohit, he was passing by. I asked him 'when is your birthday?'. He said it was coming. I am waiting for his birthday. Then we will be of the same age for sometime," he added.
Ashwin starred with both bat and ball in the Chennai Test against Bangladesh. He slammed a dazzling century (113 off 133) in the first innings when India were struggling at 144/6. Thanks to his 199-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (86), the hosts racked up 376/10 in their first essay.
While Ashwin failed to claim a wicket in Bangladesh’s first innings, he tormented the visitors with a five-wicket haul in the second dig. His figures of 6/88 in 21 overs help India bundle out the tourists for 234 in the chase of 515 runs.
It was Ashwin’s 37th five-wicket haul, the joint-second most by any bowler in Test cricket. He currently stands alongside the legendary Shane Warne in the all-time list, and the two are only behind Muttiah Muralitharan’s 67.
With this victory, India took an unassailable 1-0 lead in the two-match series against Bangladesh. The second Test is slated to be held in Kanpur from September 27.
