Veteran Ashwin still eager to improve
Star Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin opened up on his retirement plans and said that the day he feels he can’t improve any further, he will bid adieu to the sport.
Ashwin made his Test debut in 2011 against the West Indies. He has 100 Tests, taking 516 wickets. He has been named in India’s Test squad against Bangladesh. The two-match Test series will kick off on September 19 at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium.
The 37-year-old said that he is only taking one day at a time. “I am only thinking about one day at a time because when you get older, you have to put in extra effort every single day. It’s not the same. I have put in a lot of effort in the last four years,” Ashwin said.
“I haven’t decided (retirement), but the day I feel that I don’t want to improve, I will leave. That’s all,” he added.
Meanwhile, Australian opener Usman Khawaja has relished his on-field battles with Ashwin, who according to the southpaw is a man who always has a plan up his sleeve.
Ashwin (39 wickets) is the third-highest wicket-taker among Indian bowlers in Test matches in Australia, only behind Anil Kumble (49) and Kapil Dev (51). He tops the charts across all bilateral series (home and away) with 114 scalps, which also includes seven five-wicket hauls. This will be Ashwin’s fifth Test tour of Australia.
“He is very strategic. He always has a plan,” Khawaja said. “He tries to figure it out and stay ahead of the game. I respect his cricketing brain. It’s always cool to play against him, and I look forward to the challenge,” he added.
Bangladesh arrive
Chennai: A confident Bangladesh team arrived in India for two Test matches and three T20Is with visiting skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto hoping that their historic 2-0 series win in Pakistan recently would hold them in good stead against the formidable hosts in the coming weeks. The Bangladesh squad landed in Chennai, the venue for the opening Test beginning on September 19, on Sunday afternoon. “It’s definitely going to be a very challenging series for us,” Shanto said. “After a good series (vs Pakistan) there is definitely an extra confidence in the team. We will play to win both matches,” he added.
Shubman to be rested for T20Is
India vice-captain Shubman Gill is among the prominent players who will be rested for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh starting October 7 as part of BCCI’s workload management policy. Gill, India’s No. 3 in Test matches, is a vital cog in the team’s top-order alongside Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal and is expected to play all 10 Tests this season.
