R Ashwin ahead of 50th Test: I've become a far better cricketer than what I was

If age is just a number, at 30, Ashwin is at the peak of his powers, and it is only fitting that Test No. 50 comes at a venue that kickstarted the best phase of his cricketing career

R Ashwin during a practice session in Galle yesterday

He will bowl all day if you ask him to, bat much longer than most lower-order batsmen care to in the nets, and once you get him talking, Ravichandran Ashwin can talk a great game of cricket as well. Fortunately for India, Ashwin's talk, which has occasionally led to him being misquoted or misunderstood, is backed up by solid numbers on the field.

If age is just a number, at 30, Ashwin is at the peak of his powers, and it is only fitting that Test No. 50 comes at a venue that kickstarted the best phase of his cricketing career. It was at the Galle International Stadium in 2015 that Ashwin picked up 10 wickets, even as India slid to defeat, and in 2017, the same bowler wants to go further.

Dream come true
"To come back to a place where I did really well is like a dream come true, and 50th Test is definitely something that has come about. I am not able to go back and retrace how I did it but I am very grateful to have gotten here. I think every Test match is a blessing from here on," said Ashwin, who, however, has not given up on the possibility that he could well come back to the venue at some point in the future.

"I'm a lot calmer than what I was then," said Ashwin, looking back and then forward. "I think I was a little bit more like a cat on a hot tin roof. I was looking forward to performing desperately because sometimes my performances need to be that much more better for me to get anywhere in my career. It's kind of changed me over a period of time. I do take things in the stride — fairly bad days, ordinary days and mediocre days are a part of a cricketer's career. It's important to learn from that and try and get better. I think I've become a far better cricketer than what I was when I came here in 2015. I just hope that if at all I come back again, I would be a far better cricketer than what I am today."

'I'm intelligent'
Ashwin explained the attitude that has helped him in his journey. "As a cricketer, I only want to be excellent. I don't want to be a survivor by any stretch of the imagination. If it doesn't go my way, it doesn't go my way. I can do well in a lot of other careers in my life. I do think I'm intelligent enough to cope with it."

Although the focus was on Ashwin's forthcoming milestone, he could not get away without being asked about the change of coach. "I think we are well past that moment. The decision has been made and the decision is definitely something that I can't really comment on. Ravi bhai has been a fabulous person to have in the dressing room. Even when he was here last time, we lost that Test in Galle and he really picked us up from that low point in our careers. He is someone who can really have a positive influence on the dressing room."

Ashwin will be hoping for a repeat of his performance in his first outing in Galle, but, naturally with the opposite result for the team.

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