Veteran India spinner R Ashwin received a surprise call-up to the Men in Blue side for the three-match ODI series against Australia starting on September 22, 2023, with the first match in Mohali.
Ashwin last played an ODI in January 2022 and has only played one local 50-over game in preparation for the Australia series. But he felt that this was a great opportunity for him, and added that he wants to enjoy himself.
Ashwin said it was a great opportunity for him, insisting that the team management always kept him in the loop when it came to team selection.
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“It's a great opportunity for me. It's not about what I want to achieve with these opportunities, I want to enjoy myself and give myself the best chance to enjoy. I went back from the West Indies, I was just taking a break. I played a few club games. The team management has kept me in the loop. They said if there's a chance, just stay ready. I was just touching base with my fitness, started bowling a few overs,” Ashwin said in a BCCI video.
He went on to say that he’s kept expectations largely from himself and holds pride in his performances.
“I've kept expectations largely from myself. It's easier to deal with expectations that one has about yourself in terms of the pride I hold in my performances and practice. If you have expectations that you can't control, then you might have disappointments,” said Ashwin.
The spinner, who has 151 wickets in 113 ODIs for India, added that he wants to deliver something different if given a chance to play in the Australia ODIs. He also said that he’s trying to put himself in a zone of discomfort to try and push barriers.
“I want to bring something different to the table, something different from my perspective. So I've been working on some angles because ODI cricket is not about spin anymore. It's about angles that you can present at the crease, the depth of the crease, the usage of that. I'm trying to put myself in a zone of discomfort to try and push barriers as always because what comes first for me is the pride in my performances,” said Ashwin.
(BCCI inputs)
