Since Ravichandran Ashwin-the Indian all-rounder-announced that he would not play international cricket anymore, the veteran of many has received many beautiful tributes for the leaving from people all over. But that is not what Ashwin is looking for: appraisals for his work or adulation of him. For Ashwin, the sport stands above all people. But the owner of 537 Test wickets did mention that he does want to burst a few cricketing myths. Former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain had a long virtual chat with Ashwin, who has now settled in Chennai after calling it a day from international cricket.
During the course of this interaction, Ashwin had a word or two about his memoir “I Have The Streets: A Kutty Cricket Story” released earlier this year in July. In fact during the interaction, Ashwin gave his views on one of the major myths concerning him. He said people think only because he does not laugh as much on the ground like a Virat Kohli- that he has no enjoyment in the game.
However, Ashwin’s insisted that’s not the case. He gets lost while playing cricket.
Above all, I wished it to be known about myself-who was the name- Ashwin’s picking up a wicket and all over, Virat Kohli. He’s just jumping about; and people tend to believe Ashwin is the one that takes everything in absolute seriousness, while Virat is the one who’s having all the fun. This is how somebody asked me, “Why so serious all the time?” My answer to that in the first place is I’m never a serious person, but when somebody is hitting me and I’ve got the ball in my hand to win a Test Match for my country, my mind is sticking, because I’m in the process. So very often, you don’t see me picking up a five-wicket haul and pushing across a kiss through the blade of my bat to my better half sitting in the dressing room or sitting in the hospitality box. So I felt like a lot of who I am got diluted in the fact of what I’ve become. So I wanted to bring that out in my book, Ashwin said on Sky Sports.
The country has seen some greats like Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, at least when they are alive today-often worshipped as gods. But no, according to Ashwin, it is unfair to forget the others for cricket is a team sport. But for Ashwin, he has always been the Most Valuable Player of his own story.
“Indian cricket that really much; they talk about Virat Kohli, about Rohit for so many years. When I was growing up, a lot of Sachin came in as far as talking about all the superstars, talking about all the celebrities. So, one message that I would leave for everyone, and I want it to constantly change, is that it’s not the fact that these are glorious cricketers but people on the outside who believe that everyone plays a support cast are extremely wrong because this is a sport. One MVP in my life, for my dad or for my mom, I am the MVP. It is not Rohit, Virat, or somebody on the outside. Likewise, everyone’s journey is unique. For me, I have always been the MVP and I am the MVP of my cricket,” he added.
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