Tweaks on action paying off for Ashwin

[Cricket_Hacker]

R Ashwin didn't get to play much part in this tour until the fourth Test. You could see him sitting in the balcony, reading a book, the earwig radio on, waving to the commentators acknowledging he is listening to them. When not in front of the camera, though, he spent a lot of time bowling in the nets. Not at the batsmen. Just at the stumps. Session after session. Dropped after India failed to win in Johannesburg late last year, he was a bowler on the mend. You got a feeling he was trying to rediscover himself as a spinner. He says he bowled without a batsman to better understand what the ball could do for him, and not "serve" the batsman. Long sleeves were gone, variations were gone, these were just pure offbreaks ball after ball. Ashwin got his chance in the last two Tests, where it was impossible to judge his comeback purely by results: India batted so poorly bowlers couldn't have given a proper account of themselves. During the ODIs, with India in the contest, Ashwin has got five wickets for 77 runs at an economy of 4, and has a Man-of-the-Match award. It could be seen, though, that the ball was coming out all right in the Tests. There was some drift, some dip, but no runs or pressure to play with. On the eve of the fourth ODI, Ashwin said he could sense he was on to something even during the Tests. "Even at The Oval I thought I was bowling really well," Ashwin said. "Initially when I started [the comeback] I was a little rusty. But there has been a considerable amount of work that has gone into it. Fifty-55 days of good work. Before that I was working with [bharat] Arun [now the India bowling coach too] back in Chennai. It has been at least about two months of work on my bowling. We have been trying to get me sorted with my action. Thankfully results are happening, that's the good thing." Ashwin said one of the most important changes he has made during his time out of the team is no not make big changes. "I used to make bigger changes with my action between formats," Ashwin said. "Now I am trying to make it as subtle as possible. Chatted with my coach back home. With Sunil [subramaniam, his initial coach]. What we thought was, this action could be efficient in all formats. We have been trying to move from being a little side-on to semi side-on, and being front on if the format demands." Ashwin said earlier too that during the Tests the focus was on becoming more side-on, and thus more classical. In ODIs, though, he said he waits to feel good before moving more side-on. "I try to be [front-on] when I start [in the ODIs]," Ashwin said. "Then once I start pinning it down, and when I feel comfortable, I play around a little. Getting a little accurate as the format comes through and if the rhythm is all right try [to] move side-on as the spell goes on to extract more from the wicket." An offspinner becomes more and more front-on when he starts to rely on too many variations. A doosra or a carrom ball is nearly impossible to bowl with a side-on action. It's a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation now. Has he reduced relying on variations now that he is more side-on or has he become more side-on because he has made a conscious effort to reduce his reliance on variations? Ashwin himself remains a touch sensitive when the topic of variations comes up. "Using variations is something very condition- or situation-based for me," Ashwin said. "It is not like I put it back in locker and close it out. If it is something I feel like using I will use it. Sometimes it gets to me when people say, 'Oh he overused it.' For all you know I am someone who goes by the exact numbers and stats. If I know I haven't used it and people go on and on about it, I get a little mad. That is not the case here." Ashwin does feel he is in a good place mentally with his bowling now. "Feels really fresh," he said. "Having worked on it, and it is a belief that I had to induce in myself. Which is quite easy for me when I am convinced with something. I got convinced quickly with what I was doing, and from there on it was about sticking with it. Sometimes the results come quickly, sometimes they don't. I am someone who will persevere with it if I have bought into it. I did buy into this. What's happened now is I am really confident of extracting as much as I can from the wicket." Good job :two_thumbs_up: keep up the hard work Might go on to play 100 tests and 250 ODI's for India

[Midfielder]

Great! Others need a chance too. He is not the best in India.

[CoverDrive]

One good match and articles start

[vvvslaxman]

One good match and articles start

Fifty-55 days of good work. / he has been working for a while it seems. Though at times he sounds pompous, he puts in lot of effort, able to analyze what is wrong, where he can improve.He is not a natural tweaker. So he has to work a lot harder than others.

[gakgupta]

shame on the guy who has written this article ..... he is a very limited bowler, who can succeed in ODI's.....

[bowl_out]

I would still play Amit Mishra ahead of him in ODIs... Mishra would be my first pick for the World Cup. Ashwin can be a reserve spinner... I rate Ashwin as a pretty useful test player. He can bowl and bat well in sub-continent... And bat well overseas... His bowling is still questionable in overseas conditions... But with the recent supposed tweak in action, hope he gets something substantial to do with the ball in Aus.... I think he fits in the bill of the 5th bowler / 6th batsman pretty well.... He does a bit of both... If he can do that on a consistent basis, given his positive attitude and approach, I see him as a potential test captain ahead of Kohli, Pujara, Rahane et al.

[Midfielder]

In ODI both Mishra and Harbhajan are ahead of him.

[ThePhenomenal1]

rather ashwin stick to odis and tests. not needed in t20s where he gets clobbered (who doesn't?) would love to see him get a county stint too. its all about the mindset, if u attack with ashwin and set good crowded fields when needed, im sure he'll pick wickets

[Vilander]

Shrewd analyser of the game situation, good spinner. Definitely next in line for being VC. Best spinner in the country by a mile.

[Midfielder]

Shrewd analyser of the game situation' date=' good spinner. Definitely next in line for being VC. Best spinner in the country by a mile.[/quote'] seriously?

[undisputed chap]

Ashwin & jaddu are adequate in spinning conditions but not so much on non turning tracks.Need Gopal & kuldeep to do well.

[bowl_out]

seriously?

which question was that a reaction for? if it is for the second, I agree that you are surprised... But if it is for the first question, I would like to know why you think so.

[Vilander]

seriously?

yup, he is the best actually.

[Vilander]

Gets the belligerent Moeen Ali finally...only one who could.. :icflove:

[Midfielder]

which question was that a reaction for? if it is for the second' date=' I agree that you are surprised... But if it is for the first question, I would like to know why you think so.[/quote'] I disagree. I don't think he is the best. India has 3/4 good spinners where no one can claim no 1 spot.

[SRT100]

Ashwin can bat reasonably well compared to others. If he goes at 4 or under and takes a wicket, surely thats a job done and done well??? Unless there is other spinner who are match winners, he is the best bet.

[Midfielder]

He can bat.As a bowler nothing special. His being over weight bothers me.

[SRT100]

He can bat.As a bowler nothing special. His being over weight bothers me.

Why??? His weight has never been an issue with him bowling or batting or even fielding for that matter! In fact he has proven his fitness with the way he can bowl for lengthy spells at one time. What I do miss about him is his "pregnant pause" when he used to bowl and stop and then roll his arm over, I thought it was a skillful art and I miss that element about his game.