Indian cricket has been on hiatus since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But off the field, while in isolation, some cricketers are using online platforms to continue entertain the fans.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been interviewing teammates and opposition players ever since the start of the lockdown, recently interacted with Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan in the show ‘DRS with Ash’ and the chat session turned out to be an epic one.
See Also: R Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha slam a media outlet for “misleading headline”
During the conversation, Ashwin revealed how Murali had stopped him from bowling leg-spin when both of them were part of the Chennai Super Kings camp in the early years of IPL.
Here’s the excerpt from their chat session:
Murali: “I bowled leg spin for a few years in my school days, the reason was Ruwan Kalpage, also a Sri Lanka cricketer, who was also an off-spinner. There was another Test spinner in our age-group, a left-arm spinner. With two spinners playing in our team, I didn’t get a place. So for variation, I bowled leg-spin for a few days and they selected me for a season.”
“I have confidence in bowling leg-spin but not sure it would have come out well in Test cricket. Bowling leg spin and spinning the ball, bowling googlies is easy but landing the ball correctly is difficult.”
Ashwin: “You saying this made me remember, to play U-19 cricket, you’ll bowl leg spin to get into the team but when I wanted to bowl leg spin, remember what you told me? ‘Why are you bowling leg spin? Bowl off-spin, you do that very well.’ Why did you say that to me?”
Murali: “Me bowling leg spin was to get into the U-19 side. Now you are going to try and play for India and the selectors say then only want leg spinners, the onus is on experience. Only when you take wickets, you will get the confidence. It’s about proving yourself. Not just proving yourself by bowling leg spin. Instead, take more wickets by bowling off-spin that’s a challenge. Even I got dropped in my career.”
“They’ve dropped me from one-dayers but I didn’t bowl leg spin. I challenged them with my off-spin and took wickets. So I thought you forgot that challenge, that’s why I said it.”
Ashwin: “Now you’re saying this but after you told me that I only bowled carom balls and off-spin. I didn’t bowl leg-spin even next year.”
Murali: “That’s why you are here now.”
Muttiah Muralitharan, who holds the record for most wickets in Tests (800) and ODIs (534), also explained how he started off as a fast bowler during his school days.
“I was interested in the game when I was very young. I started playing I was 8 but as a fast bowler, spin didn’t come naturally to me.
“When I came to U-13 levels my coach told me so you’re not going to get any taller, so fast bowling won’t be your thing. Bowl off-spin instead, he said, and taught me. The first ball I bowled spun, because I automatically put my wrist into it,” he narrated.
