Why Ravichandran Ashwin Is The Sharpest Cricket Guru Of Modern Times
IPL 2025: Ravichandran Ashwin has been an exceptional brand ambassador of cricket and he continues to entertain fans with his quirks, love, and criticism around the sport.
In modern times, there has not been a better brand ambassador of cricket than Ravichandran Ashwin. The legendary off-spin bowler who recently retired from all forms of international cricket is currently donning the Chennai Super Kings jersey in the ongoing IPL 2025 but that hasn’t stopped him from criticising the cash-rich league’s obsession with the batters. In a recent YouTube video, Ashwin chatted up with Vivek Razdan and spoke about the negligence that the bowlers faced in Indian Premier League. “There are at least 10 awards in the IPL match presentation. In fact, both teams get 50% of the awards. But if someone bowls good, delivers a good over, they get no award," Ashwin quipped. There is super striker, super fours, super sixes but where is the Super ball?" Ashwin said before adding that there was once the fastest ball award but if if the fastest ball of the day were smacked for a six, they would still be rewarded.
Ashwin Anna‘s on and off the field quirks and outspoken self have certainly shaped the way we view cricket today and we have put together a few instances that prove the off-spinner is one of the modern greats of the sport.
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Wide Ball
It takes a special character to leave the ball alone so nonchalantly as Ashwin did during the India Vs Pakistan match in T20 World Cup and even Virat Kohli, on the other end, couldn’t help but appreciate the incredible game presence of the lower-order batter. Ashwin walked out in the middle at a packed MCG when Dinesh Karthik was undone by Mohammad Nawaz on the second-last delivery of the match. India still required 2 off 1 when Ashwin took his guard. Nawaz bowled full and down the leg side. Ashwin didn’t flinch. He left the ball alone to everyone’s amusement. The ball was signalled wide and India had levelled the scores. On the final delivery of the nail-biting thriller between the arch-rivals, Ashwin lofted Nawaz over mid-off region and India registered a historic victory. On a night Kohli won the most praises, Ashwin was lauded for his cold, collected mastery in a tense situation.
Also Read: What Are The Most Shocking Cricket Stats In Game’s Glorious History?
Mankad
Ashwin stood his ground when Jos Buttler didn’t. There was a severe taboo around dismissing a batter via mankad dismissal in cricket and when Ashwin, then playing for Kings XI Punjab, dismissed Rajasthan Royals’ Buttler, critics descended upon him like vultures. Calling it against the spirit of the game, they demanded the cricketer play a “fair game" when Buttler was backing up too far and was eventually adjudged run out by the TV umpire. “On my part, it was very instinctive and it was not planned or anything like that," Ashwin said. “It is there in the rules of the game. I don’t know where the understanding of the spirit of the game comes from because quite naturally if it’s there in the rules, it’s there.
In 2022, the act of running out batter at the non-striker’s end by the bowler while running up was moved from Law 41 – Unfair Play to Law 38 – Run-out.
MCC decided to call it a “run out" officially and Ashwin supporters remembered him plenty that day.
No Regrets
Despite being one of the sharpest minds in the camp, Ashwin was never considered for the role of captaincy. But he is not bitter out it. The cricketer felt he had it in him to captain India at the highest level but it wasn’t meant to be.
“I am smart enough to know what works for me and what doesn’t for another person. When I started my career, I got first-class captaincy very early. I have won a few tournaments for my team. I believe I had it in me. But I did not have any regret that I didn’t go on to lead my country because these are not things that I can control," Ashwin said while speaking to former England cricketers Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton on Sky Sports Podcast. “I have realized somebody needs to feel that I am good enough to lead the team, I need to get another 15-20 people to come along with me for me to be able to lead the team. It wasn’t meant for me in this particular chapter of my life."
Also Read: Why IPL Fans Are Watching Hindi Commentary Matches On Mute: ‘Can You Please Talk About Cricket?’
Ashwin On YouTube
In a world that is overflowing with “experts" and “panel talks" that discuss everything but cricket, Ashwin’s personal YouTube channel brings a refreshing change. When he’s not playing cricket, he is talking cricket. He’s dissecting and analysing the game. He’s reviewing and giving advice to his friends and colleagues. It’s a one-stop-shop if you live and breathe cricket.
“A fierce competitor on the field, a cricketing brain like no other & now the ultimate storyteller off it, Ashwin has redefined himself beyond the boundary," the “about me" tab on Ashwin’s YouTube reads.
Sense Of Humour
What’s the point in having all the cricketing knowledge if you can’t have a laugh? Ashwin is self-aware and his wit is sharp. Upon being asked about who India would go for – him or Ravindra Jadeja – for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2024, the off-spinner had a cheeky reply.
“It’s very simple for me. If he plays, I’ll badmouth him (Ravindra Jadeja) all day, all night," joked Ashwin.
“It used to bother me at one point of time, I won’t lie. Because we all want to play. But, it doesn’t anymore because the larger goal is at the forefront of my mind."
Ashwin also routinely engages with trolls on ‘X’.
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