India’s seasoned Test spinner Ravichandran Ashwin refused to comment on the topic whether wrist spinners are more effective than the finger spinners in contemporary cricket. Ashwin reckons the theories floating in Indian cricket are based on "perceptions".
Considering the way wrist spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal have become the architects of India’s awe-inspiring show in ODI cricket of late, things look rather bleak for Ashwin in the next year’s World Cup in England.
"Like they say, world spins and everything will spin around. It's only matter of time as more often than not Indian cricket is built mostly on perceptions," Ashwin told PTI on the sidelines of Deodhar Trophy match on Tuesday.
The off-spinner also clarified that he doesn't have time for critics, who have scrutinized his bowling over the years.
When asked if a spinner’s success in Test cricket on stock ball, Ashwin replied: "If you are successful, people will say it's right. If you are not successful, people will have an opinion.
"For the better part of my 150 wickets, experts kept on saying that I was trying variations....when I knew I wasn't doing it. These are opinion created by people for which I have to give answer to. I don't have time for that anymore as I want to enjoy my game," he continued.
On being enquired if he has buried the ghosts of his away record in Test cricket, Ashwin said: "It's for you guys to say as I don't care anymore."
But one could sense a bit of anger when he said about how he has battled his own benchmarks.
"I am always battling benchmarks that I have created for myself. Unfortunately people don't take that into account and I don't expect them to do it. That's never been an Indian way and I am not worried about it. I am still taking 5-6 wickets per Test and way more matured than what I was 25-27 months back," he further asserted.
Ashwin also gave an example to justify his remarks.
"During a Test match in Sydney (2014), experts said a spinner should go for wickets and when I went for wickets, they said I should be bowling tight and give break to fast bowlers. Now this is the wall I hit all the time. So the battle is within me as I can't keep looking outside," he said.
Ashwin hailed Kuldeep Yadav but had a word of advice for him.
"Kuldeep has leg break, googly and ability to deceive batsmen. But challenge starts as batsmen will start reading him better. That's when he will need to adapt but we have good support system in place," he stated.
On his bowling, Ashwin elaborated how he has altered the technique of his carrom ball.
"I don't bowl the carrom ball from the top. I bowl from underneath now so that it doesn't give much trajectory to batsmen and it skids through. I have also developed a few variations with normal off breaks," he concluded.
(With PTI inputs)
