Ravi Ashwin: "We would like to continue and take the fight on tomorrow also. When adversities grow, the team comes together."

[TNAmarkFromIndia]

"The pitch has been quite slow, and it has been good to bat on," R Ashwin said on the final evening. "In fact, the balls that we saw misbehave yesterday, the ones that went up and down, has also kind of come down because of the slow nature of the pitch. I also think the roller is playing a role. And because the game started off with the pitch not seeing a lot of sun, the wicket is getting better to bat as the sun is belting down on it. As a team behind in the game, like we are, we are hopeful we can put a good performance in the first session tomorrow."

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However, Ashwin was not bullish about India's prospects. In public utterances, this team has spoken about not thinking of draws but starting such final days with only winning the Test on their minds. Adelaide 2014-15 and The Oval 2018 are examples of that, but Ashwin said that the team will look to bat according to the situation on Monday, depending on the kind of bowling they are faced with.

"In a Test match you don't look at the overall score on the final morning and say we must go for a win," Ashwin said. "It just doesn't happen quite so much like it happens in white-ball cricket. There are passages of play in the red-ball game that are much more different and you are playing on a day-five pitch. And also sometimes when you play to the merit of the ball, you stay in, sometimes you put yourself in a situation in the last session where you can take an initiative, but you don't go into the morning saying chalo hum teen sau bana denge [let's go, score 300].

"This is not how you play the game. Last time when we spoke about it in Adelaide, we got off to a good start and the game paced itself that way and we did believe we can get it because the score was in our range. Tomorrow as well we believe we can do it. That belief is very important when you step on to the park."

Cheteshwar Pujara might have been criticised for his slow batting in the first innings by greats such as Ricky Ponting and Allan Border, but to Ashwin there couldn't be two better batsmen than Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane for the job at hand tomorrow.

"It is very very important that we play a good first session tomorrow," Ashwin said. "A very, very ideal and good first session would be to not lose a wicket. These two gentlemen out in the middle have proven through their career how good they are playing this format of the game and playing many good knocks for us. Ajinkya has got a hundred at MCG and Puji has got a fifty in the first innings. We are all very hopeful that they will put in a good performance."

The Indian players gather around Mohammed Siraj and Ajinkya Rahane as abusive spectators in the stands are dealt with  Getty Images

This has been an unfortunate tour for India with injuries with Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant adding to the list during this Test. Ashwin confirmed Pant will bat in the second innings in Sydney but said they have not been talking about what all has gone against them.

"The bruise was quite severe and it was quite painful," Ashwin said of Pant's injury. "The elbow can be a very tricky place to deal with. Look as a cricket team, as a team inside the dressing room, we haven't really spoken about how things are not going our way. Sometimes when they don't go your way, they don't. That's how the sport is.

"But we refrain from talking about things that are not in control. We can only do what we can do and we can control only what we can, and I personally feel with whatever has been thrown at us, we have responded in a warrior-like fashion. And we would like to continue and take the fight on tomorrow also. If we can control what we can control, that is all we can ask for."

Ashwin said the adversity had brought the team together. "When adversities grow, the team comes together," he said. "Even after the Adelaide Test we came together, had a chat, had a team event, and I thought we came together pretty tight after the game. The result was what you saw in the MCG win.

"We were looking really really positive coming into this game as well. But you know such things, Jadeja's ball rising from back of a length and injuring him... sometimes these things happen and they do set you back. I won't say it is not a setback. It is what it is. Recently in the Sri Lanka against South Africa games, Sri Lanka lost four or five people in the first Test. We haven't seen a lockdown [ever before], we haven't put this body to so much of rest, and sometimes when it rains it pours... it is an opportunity to show what mettle we are made of and everybody is putting up a good fight."

R Ashwin is overjoyed after his review against Steven Smith is successful  Getty Images

 

When it rains it pours, indeed. It poured mistakes from India in their first innings in Sydney, one of which was Ashwin's run-out when the ball was hit wide of mid-off by Jadeja but Ashwin was caught ball-watching. Ashwin explained that happened because either Jadeja didn't make a call early or if he did, Ashwin didn't hear it.

"In all honesty I might not be the quickest of runners but I actually judge a run pretty well," Ashwin said. "It is not like I have been run out often in Test cricket. The communication between me and Jaddu yesterday was very clear on the calling. Yesterday I heard his call very very late and he was almost halfway down the pitch when he said Ash bhag ja [Ash, run through]. It can happen.

"Maybe he did call earlier and I didn't hear it in the noise. For me that is one of the reasons I was looking at where the ball was going. If you have not received a call, you are looking at help [as to] where the ball has gone. For me that was that. I have played cricket with proper basics to know that front of the wicket is the striker's call so for me there was no reason to be looking behind had I got a call."

[sarcastic]

Ashwin walked the talk admirably.

[IndianLegend]

This guy and Kohli are the guys who will stand up to cheats and sledges like Aussies

 

only difference is Kohli sledges his own teammates in IPL and uses MC BC

[Gollum]

Legend Ashwin, what fighting spirit today!!!!!

[Serpico]

He should be the Vice captain in tests, even after Kohli comes back

[Frustrated]

That is Ashwin for U.

[nevada]

4 minutes ago, Frustrated said:

That is Ashwin for U.

Paine got owned! Him talking about Gabba means he gave up on winning here. 

[Ankit_sharma03]

 

[Gollum]

Oh no, does that mean Ash won't be 100% fit for Gabba? 

[Gollum]

Ash's stature has grown so much this series. Has completely owned Lyon in his backyard, even with the bat today. 

[puneet28]

I haven't seen him determined like this ever before. It seems like he is here to prove a point that he can perform outside India. He is involved in the game plans, expressive and today when odds were against his batting, he applied himself. Everybody was talking that Ashwin's batting has regressed and he's same as what he used to be 4-5 years ago. He showed courage and good concentration. Even liked his comeback to Paine. Just that Paine called him d**khead in the end. I didn't like Paine's reaction tbh. 

[Vk1]

Kohli not being in the dressing room might be helping Ashwin. Gavaskar too was indicating that Kohli doesnt respect Ash enough.

[Serpico]

22 minutes ago, puneet28 said:

I haven't seen him determined like this ever before. It seems like he is here to prove a point that he can perform outside India. He is involved in the game plans, expressive and today when odds were against his batting, he applied himself. Everybody was talking that Ashwin's batting has regressed and he's same as what he used to be 4-5 years ago. He showed courage and good concentration. Even liked his comeback to Paine. Just that Paine called him d**khead in the end. I didn't like Paine's reaction tbh. 

yeah paine's reply shows he was frustrated and got owned, not his usual witty stuff. he had a very rough day as a keeper and captain

[New guy]

Walked the talk big time

[Nikhil_cric]

1 hour ago, Frustrated said:

That is Ashwin for U.

Brutal. Not as good as Dravid to Mark Waugh but this come  closest !

[Nikhil_cric]

51 minutes ago, Serpico said:

yeah paine's reply shows he was frustrated and got owned, not his usual witty stuff. he had a very rough day as a keeper and captain

He called ash a "*ickkhead didn't he"? Sore losers this lot, getting owned in the battleof wits as well and resorting to foul language . The moment they get it back from someone who is very fluent in English like an Ash, they can't take it . 

[TNAmarkFromIndia]

37 minutes ago, Nikhil_cric said:

He called ash a "*ickkhead didn't he"? Sore losers this lot, getting owned in the battleof wits as well and resorting to foul language . The moment they get it back from someone who is very fluent in English like an Ash, they can't take it . 

I think it was more that he was desperate because of the situation they were in.

[Serpico]

Despite four Test centuries to his name, R Ashwin, who returned battered and bruised from the barrage of short-pitched bowling at the SCG on Monday to help India draw the third Test, said his undefeated 128-ball 39 was one of his best batting efforts in what was a "fantastic" result for India, even if his desire was to hit the winning runs.

 

Ashwin said India were "relieved" after the great escape - earned with a lot of grit an determination - and talked up the mood in the dressing room. "The atmosphere in the dressing room is absolutely electric, everyone is relieved to a certain extent," Ashwin told Fox Sports after the match. "At the same time, we are so very happy, I haven't seen such smiles in a long time. Yes, the last game [Melbourne] was a lovely win, but I think this draw… in Test cricket you don't get a lot of lovely draws and this was one of those fantastic draws."

 

The day started with India, chasing 407 to go 2-1 up in the series, at 98 for 2, with Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in the middle. Rahane didn't last too long, but Pujara battled for 205 balls in scoring 77, Rishabh Pant walked in at No. 5 and smashed 97 in 118 balls, and then it was over to Hanuma Vihari and Ashwin, who batted through the entire final session to clinch the draw when an Australian win looked the likeliest outcome. India batted 131 overs in the fourth innings - the most for them in the final innings since 1979, when they drew The Oval Test ending nine runs short of the target of 438.

What was even more remarkable is that Pant batted with an arm injury , Ravindra Jadeja was unlikely to bat because of a fractured thumb, and Vihari wasn't able to run because of a right hamstring injury.

 

'Ready for the fight'

Australia's seamers attacked Ashwin relentlessly with short-pitched deliveries aimed at the body. At one point, Ashwin nearly doubled over after being hit in the ribs by a Pat Cummins' delivery. Yet, he ploughed on.

"They bowled some amazing lengths and lines, Nathan Lyon was there or thereabouts, it was a very exciting session to play out," Ashwin said. "I just went to Pujara and said, 'you just sold me out on both the innings', because I felt Cummins was bowling in a different league altogether, especially when he sensed the tail was coming through, he just goes one gear higher.

 

"It was pretty difficult to counter because I think the pitch started to slow down, there was a bit of double bounce, so it was not that easy to get down underneath his back-of-length bouncers… it was quite the deal but once you got through those 20-30 balls I was ready for the fight."

 

All the while, Ashwin was battling not just the Australians - the bowling and a lot of chirping - but also a "tweak" in his back that had left him in "unbelievable pain", as his wife Prithi gave away on Twitter. Ashwin was seen standing and stretching in the dressing room balcony throughout the afternoon before coming out to bat.

"For me, personally, that innings is very, very important because I haven't got a lot of scores in the last 18 months or so but I've been batting well in the nets, even batted well in the first innings, so it was quite pleasing to get that knock," he said.

 

Pant 'keeps you on tenterhooks all the time' In terms of balls faced, Ashwin's performance was the fifth-longest by an India No. 7 in the fourth innings. Not surprisingly, it came at a ground he has done well before with the bat too - in his two prior outings at the SCG, Ashwin had innings of 62 (2012) and 50 (2015).

 

At one point, while watching Pant and Pujara put India in a position of strength, Ashwin said he even alerted India batting coach Vikram Rathour that he could end up hitting the winning runs. "I was telling him [Rathour] I've never left Sydney without making a 50, because this is one of those grounds where I've made 50 every single time I've batted in the past. So I said the winning runs may come from my bat… it wasn't to be today but hopefully this knock kind of sets it up - I've faced Cummins, [Josh] Hazlewood and [Mitchell] Starc, along with [Nathan] Lyon, and it gives you the confidence and it makes you feel that you can go out there and start playing those shots again.

 

"I felt like my flow was back. It was very important - at the end of the day, cricket is a confidence game so every single ounce you can gather is important."

 

India might have started the day planning to settle with a draw, but the attack from Pant gave them the confidence to think about going for a win. "Chasing 400 in the final innings in Sydney, the wicket started going up and down from day three or day four, so it was never going to be easy, but that knock from Rishabh really set us up… that's the sort of player he is, he's quite electric, he excites you. You don't want to be in both dressing rooms watching him bat because if you are in the opposition dressing room you're thinking you want his wicket and we are sitting here thinking he shouldn't play rash shots. He keeps you on tenterhooks all the time but that knock set us up," Ashwin said in response to Shane Warne querying whether it was India's great escape to earn a draw or Australia's to deny India the win. "But we lost Rishabh and Pujara back to back, which set things back, I tweaked my back last evening, Vihari tore his hamstring in the middle, so it was difficult for us to go for the win after that."

 

Ashwin had strong praise for Vihari, too, who was possibly batting to save his Test career after failing to get a big score in five innings before this one - he scored 23* in 161 balls batting 20 minutes short of three hours.

 

"Touring Australia is never easy for anyone, but Hanuma is here on his second tour and as he went out to bat, there were so many things being flashed about - how many runs he'd made in the series," Ashwin said. "He might have made just 20 today but I think that was as good as making a hundred. I think he should be really proud of himself. He's one batter that we've really banked upon - he's quite solid, he can make those big scores so I think this will mean the world to him."

 

[Sandeep99]

This guy is captain material. Immense knowledge about the game and has the guts to call it out. Will become the best commentator from India in the future.

[sandeep]

2 hours ago, Sandeep99 said:

This guy is captain material. Immense knowledge about the game and has the guts to call it out. Will become the best commentator from India in the future.

I do not think he should be captain. I love Ash, don't believe he gets the respect he deserves for the matchwinner he is.

 

But he should not be captain.  He is fine as the elder statesman of the bowling unit.  That's the optimal role for him.