The off-spinner has yet to play a Test match in Sri Lanka. That apart, he will be competing for bragging rights with senior pro Harbhajan who has picked up 25 wickets in nine Tests in the island nation
More than 75 per cent of R Ashwin's Test scalps have come in India. The off-spinner has picked 95 wickets in 15 'home' Tests'. However, he has managed only 29 in 10 'away' matches. His first five-wicket haul outside India came in the drawn one-off Test against Bangladesh in Fatullah in June — his 10th away game.
He showed signs of improvement, though, by doing well during the four-month-long tour of Australia. It was a very different Ashwin on display, so to speak, often on the attack and asking questions all the time. Somehow, the tiger-at-home-but-lamb-abroad continues to stick. But such "accusations" only make the 28-year-old stronger.
"I don't really read much into accusations. If I read into the accusations, I have to sit at home. That's not what I intend to do. But for these people, where would I even take my game. They just want me to get better. If they think they can accuse me and try to put me down, that will not work. I will keep getting better every day. By the time I quit, I should be very happy with the place I am in and I want to be the best Ashwin that I can be for the Indian team," the Chennai-based star told mediapersons prior to the team's departure for Sri Lanka. The three-match Test series begins in Galle on August 12.
"Whenever I am put in a spot, or even if I am not put in a spot, I am looking to take my game up there where somebody is trying to catch up with me. I never like to play the catch up game. I want somebody else catching up with me."
Ashwin will be really tested in Sri Lankan conditions. Not only will he be up against some quality batsmen, including the retiring Kumar Sangakkara, but he will also fight for supremacy with senior teammate Harbhajan Singh.
The 35-year-old Harbhajan a veteran of 102 Tests. Back in the scheme of things after a two-year gap, he is one of only four players in the 15-member squad that has the experience of playing Test cricket in Sri Lanka. M Vijay (two Tests in 2010), Amit Mishra (one Test in 2010), Ishant Sharma (six Tests in 2008 & 2010) are the others. But Harbhajan's nine Tests and 25 wickets across four tours (1999, 2001, 2008, 2010) must give him the edge over Ashwin.
While the experience of playing in Sri Lanka gives Harbhajan the edge, Ashwin, who is yet to play a Test against Sri Lanka (home or away), has emerged better in the four Tests that the two have played together. Ashwin has 25 scalps as against the Jalandhar-born sardar's 10 in those games.
It is common knowledge that the conditions in Sri Lanka will be akin to India, spin-friendly. But Ashwin differed on that count. "Yes, Yasir Shah picked up wickets (the leg-spinner took 24 wickets in the recent three-Tests series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka). The wickets were seaming around. Sri Lanka had their fast bowlers picking up wickets. Every team will play according to the conditions and the strengths of the opposition. I would not be surprised if the wickets do a little bit for the seamers."
The seamers had their share of wickets with Sri Lanka's Dhammika Prasad, Pakistan's Wahab Riaz, Imran Khan and Rahat Ali also picking up sticks before Shah ran through the Lankans. Ashwin said that the Indians "are prepared" for the challenge. "Any team that is playing in their own backyard has a bit of advantage. They know what's going to come, what's going to happen on those wickets and how conditions pan out. We are prepared in terms of what their strengths and weaknesses are," Ashwin said.
Ashwin is an intelligent bowler. He keeps assessing his game. "You get as close to the basics as possible and try and develop from there. I read a bit. I study to be a coach though I don't aspire to be. I started to study materials as I somehow felt I was not getting enough answers to the questions I had. Once that happened, I started going through coaching materials myself. Then I went to different coaches. Bharat Arun (India's bowling coach) slipped into the role. I started getting the answers. When the answers started coming, I wanted to do certain amount of things. I try and innovate with my game. I try and see if I can cock my wrist differently, load up differently. All these things are something that are technical. but I am prepared to give it a shot. when I keep giving these things a shot, it turns out to be fantastic sometimes and sometimes it turns out to be rubbish. So, it was one of those times when I was out of the Test team for 13-14 months, I used the 'break' pretty effectively. It was one of those fine days when people thought it was nice and I kept at it. Thankfully enough, a certain process has ended in a good result."
Harbhajan vs Ashwin in Sri Lanka
Opposition Venue Year Harbhajan Ashwin
England Mumbai Nov 2012 2/74 & 0/10 2/145 & 0/22
Australia Chennai Feb 2013 1/87 & 2/55 7/103 & 5/95
Australia Hyderabad Mar 2013 2/52 & 0/10 1/41 & 5/63
Bangladesh Fatullah Jun 2015 3/64 & 0/11 5/87 & 0/8
10 wickets @ 36.30 25 wickets @ 22.56
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