India's star off-spinner R Ashwin, who returned to the Indian team after ten months, picked up a fifer against South Africa in the first Test at Vizag. He missed playing for India so much that he stopped watching the game on TV.
Ashwin was part of the Test team on West Indies tour, but he didn't feature in the playing XI. "To stay away from cricket itself was very tough for me. In order to substitute, I played whatever games I got. I tried and made an opportunity for myself to go and play some county cricket (for Nottinghamshire). I tried and played the TNPL as much as I could, played some league cricket in Chennai," he said.
Later in the press conference, the Tamil Nadu cricketer was asked why did he stop watching cricket? Ashwin came up with a funny reply to this. He said his two kids at home are the reason.
"For starters, I have two kids who don't sleep that well at nights. Jokes apart, I felt like every time I watch the game on TV, I felt like I wanted to play the game and I was missing out. It is very natural, everybody goes through it," Ashwin said.
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The offie added he tried to read books while away from cricket. "I generally tried to do a few other things in my life as well. Books and a bit of archaeology stuff, I enjoyed," he added.
(With PTI Inputs)
