After giving India the upper hand with a six-wicket haul on Day 1 of the first Test match against Sri Lanka at Galle on Wednesday, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said he had rediscovered himself after critically analysing his bowling, says a report in Hindustan Times.
"Some credit should go to Ravichandran Ashwin also," India's strike bowler said at the post-day press conference adding, "Because I have taken stock of my own bowling, being a lot critical of myself, raised a lot of questions and got fruitful answers from both Bharat Arun and Ravi Shastri. That has actually enabled me to try and discover myself. I think nothing is a permanent feat in life as you start stagnating. I think you have to keep improving," the Tamil Nadu tweaker added with a touch of pragmatism.
He did not hide his pleasure at his figures of six wickets for 46 in Sri Lanka's meagre first innings score of 183. "I am very happy to do it on a consecutive basis," said Ashwin, referring to the 5/87 he took in Bangladesh on the preceding Test tour. "I think it is more about how the game is. I am not looking at my personal milestones. I want to get better. The process is in place and it's perfect. I am looking at it from that perspective."
Meanwhile, a report in The Times Of India says, “Ashwin has struggled in the past to get wickets outside India - picking up only 34 in 11 Tests on foreign soil before this match at an average of 43.64. The year, though, has seen a turn in his fortunes overseas. Wednesday's effort is his second successive five-wicket haul, following his 587 against Bangladesh in Fatullah in June,” says the report, adding that the track was just perfect for the three spinners picked by India, moist and offering turn from the outset.
“The pitch was under covers for the last three days due to incessant rain, and was clearly damp underneath which helped the ball to grip more. The Lankans had no hesitation in batting first on this track, which will get drier as the game progresses, but got into trouble straightaway. Losing wickets to the new ball is a crime in such conditions but the hosts lost not one but two to the Indian pair of Ishant Sharma and Varun Aaron. The stage was perfectly set for Ashwin, bowling to the toast of this nation, Kumar Sangakkara, and it was almost an anti-climax. Sangakkara (3) pushed lazily off his backfoot and was smartly pouched up by KL Rahul at silly point in Ashwin's first over. There was an immediate spring in the off-spinner's stride, as he ripped the ball and extracted disconcerting bounce from the pitch,” says the TOI report.
