Ashwin to try legspin in upcoming IPL

[Suhaan]

With limited-overs cricket becoming an increasingly unfamiliar environment for fingerspinners, R Ashwin has amped up his efforts to remain relevant. Over the past few years, he has been working towards becoming a wristspinner and was confident enough to try those variations in a domestic one-day match against Gujarat on Monday. He finished with figures of 2 for 38 in 9.1 overs as Tamil Nadu won the match by 76 runs.

Ashwin was one of the two top-ranked bowlers in Test cricket when he was given a break from India's ODI squad. Legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal and left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav were brought in to fill the void but now have become an intrinsic part of why India are so hard to beat in 50-overs cricket.

To keep pace with the competition, Ashwin has been practicing legspin himself. "This is part of my plan going into the IPL. I am just trying to build my armoury. I used to bowl good legbreaks with my offspin action when I was playing league cricket in Chennai. Over a period of time, in a search to get my stock ball right, I obviously had to cut out a lot of those things. I had possessed a lot more variations. Having bowled offbreak as the stock ball for almost 10 years, trying to change things around is challenging. But I don't really settle for anything. At no point in my career, I thought 'this is it' and decided to settle for the rest of my career."

Ashwin said he has largely been working alone. "As of now everything is cooked by me. I try to take feedback from our coaches in my academy. L Balaji has been of great help. First time I was bowling legspin, we were working on some actions on how to gain momentum. How I can make a repeatable action work for me. For example, my arm doesn't go 45 degrees which is perfect for a leg spinner. I am more upright. I have to adjust my action. It has been a painful ride. One day it will come out well in the nets, and the next day it won't come out all right. It will be frustrating. I have gone through the entire journey and have reached a place where I can land the ball where I want to."

The IPL presents the next opportunity for Ashwin to make a case for himself in limited-overs cricket. Although this season, when he goes home to play in Chennai, he would line up as part of the opposition: Kings XI Punjab bought him for INR 7.6 crore (USD 1.18 million approx)

"I was a tad disappointed because I have been here for the last ten years," Ashwin said. "Literally, I have owned that space around Chepauk. Every time I came on to bowl, the kind of roaring and cheering I got will always stick on to my head. Coming back there, to play against CSK, will probably motivate me more."

[R.D forever]

All I can say is hope he doesn't lose his off soon. He is still very crucial especially in Australia with bounce and lefties

 

Pulling this one off is impossible IMO. U just cannot become a good leg spinner in a year. Even Chalal and kuldeep are bowling full tosses now and then.. Would be worse for Ashwin. 

[NameGoesHere]

I admire his grit and willingness to keep evolving.  But from off to leg spin? This feels like, but hopefully isn't, one of those classic jump the shark moments.

[renjith]

dumb decision. consistently bowling leg spin builds different set of muscles which could hamper his off spin action rhythm.

 

saqlain lost zip and turn of his off spin after concentrating heavily on doosra.

[Suhaan]

10 minutes ago, R.D forever said:

All I can say is hope he doesn't lose his off soon. He is still very crucial especially in Australia with bounce and lefties

 

Pulling this one off is impossible IMO. U just cannot become a good leg spinner in a year. Even Chalal and kuldeep are bowling full tosses now and then.. Would be worse for Ashwin. 

No wonder he is feeling insecure with the two wrist spinners there ,he might be having a fear of losing his spot even in the test xi

[WC2011INDIA]

Feeling the heat I see. I think he served the team well since 2011, but it's time to keep him strictly for test matches and that too in subcontinent against specific teams.

Kuldeep and Chahal should be tried more frequently in tests. 

[speedheat]

Damn high insecurity level, I don't see him go flat out leg spin I guess he will be mixing his offspin with carrom ball type legspin, but the way this mental midget performed in ct final I don't see him getting back in team India any time soon in lois

[CommonMan]

Hope he keeps all his experiments limited to t20/ipl 

[Cricketics]

People worry too much. Its not that he is trying to bowl from a left hand.

 

He is just going to try some leggies..

 

Will get hit for few sixes and get dropped for few games and then aa jayega wapas off spin pe or and Carrom ball. Thats it.

 

 

 

 

[R.D forever]

14 minutes ago, speedheat said:

Damn high insecurity level, I don't see him go flat out leg spin I guess he will be mixing his offspin with carrom ball type legspin, but the way this mental midget performed in ct final I don't see him getting back in team India any time soon in lois

U can call him many things but he surely is not a mental midget like DK .. 2011 quarterfinal 2013 CT finals IPL.. 

 

I understand why he is doing it. I just think he cannot pull it off. 

[R.D forever]

Action looks like kumble

 

[Khota]

Ashwin might want to surprise with a delivery or too but leg spin will not be his bread and butter. It is just tough for offspinners. Either he can do what Saeed 30 degree Ajmal did.

[joe777z]

Have to admire his grit and determination. Right attitude for an ‘Individual’ to challenge himself and evolve rather than settle with his own  success formula

 

One of a kind player, despite being a top quality spinner, backed himself to go forward with this decision even after he knew that this decision could well be back-fired and can be ridiculed among the cricketing fratenity. 

 

Risk: he will loose his reputation and will be discussed for years to come. 

 

If it comes off, whole cricket world will marvel and sing praises. 

 

Ipl is set for the drama to unfold 

 

 

[vvvslaxman]

Why criticism. This is IPL. This is how you use IPL. Hone your skills, do more experimentation. He already has 5 variations. I do not think his test place is remotely under threat. He is not just a bowler. An reasonably trusted late order batsman. I am pretty sure none of the current spinner can achieve what he has achieved even if they play all their matches in India. Once novelty wears off bowlers get exposed. He has been able to sustain this long. He is perfect foil for Jaddu. Both complement each other very well. India traditionally used to have 3 spinners. at home. They wreak havoc just with 2.

[Vilander]

Ashwin is a post modern cricketer. He will succeed in this, this guy keeps evolving. But it think even he will know not to try this in test level which could mess with his action, he will keep it to t20s as one off doosra overs. Can he do that if he signals prior to the over that he is a leg spinner now ? or can he change up mid over ?

Edited February 6, 2018 by Vilander

[coffee_rules]

What next? Chinaman?

[adi B]

Maybe due to influence of sehwag,he anyhow doesn't consider off spinners as "spinners"

[Tattieboy]

An IPL leg spinner now. That's is 3.8 crore per wicket he has been paid for 

[putrevus]

Chennai not bidding for him says a lot.Nothing wrong in him trying leg spin though.He is unlucky Kumble and Bhajji got lot more chances based on their home exploits.

[Cricketics]

21 minutes ago, putrevus said:

Chennai not bidding for him says a lot.Nothing wrong in him trying leg spin though.He is unlucky Kumble and Bhajji got lot more chances based on their home exploits.

Unlucky in what way? Jadeja is unlucky you can say who even after home exploits as he reached number 1 this year,  did not get a single test match away from home this series.

 

Ashwin played both test matches where we needed to play 1 spinner in the test series. Thats not unlucky at all.