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Ravichandran Ashwin’s decision to hang up his boots from all forms of international cricket may have come as a surprise for many, but not for his old friend Abhinav Mukund. Having seen Ashwin from close quarters since age-group cricket days in Chennai, Abhinav - a former India batter himself - got a feeling that ‘Ash’, as the spinner is fondly known as by his team-mates, was thinking about moving on, when the two had a long chat in Chennai a couple of months ago, on the sidelines of India’s first Test against Bangladesh. “I almost had this feeling before he toured Australia.
When I saw him last at the Chepauk during the first Test between India and Bangladesh, we were actually chatting about how our journeys have come along. And, I could see that he has become more like a family person now,” Abhinav told Sportstar on Wednesday, a while after his friend announced his decision in Brisbane. “His daughters are growing up, and it gets really hard to actually stay away from family on such long tours.
Especially with a full calendar around and with the kids growing up. I almost sensed it then, ‘oh, I can’t believe it, but Ashwin now actually enjoys his family time more than the time on the field.’.
..” Abhinav added with a smile.
That being said, he didn’t think Ashwin would take the tough call so soon. “I really wished and hoped that he would go this big route of these 10 Test matches (three against New Zealand, five against Australia and the WTC final, if India makes it), and then, maybe come home and call it a day..
.” Also read | Ash wins hearts, leaves on his own terms Growing up in Chennai around the same time, Abhinav and Ashwin have risen through the ranks - from school cricket to state team, followed by breaking into the India fold - and knowing him well, Abhinav is convinced that it wasn’t a hasty decision by the spin ace. “Sometimes these things are not made out of haste.
These things are sometimes made out of the fact that, ‘oh, you are done’. And, when you are done, you are done. I guess that was the feeling in his head,” Abhinav, who featured in seven Tests for India, besides playing 145 First-Class games for Tamil Nadu, said, adding: “I am pretty certain he has been thinking about it for a while.
And this has come maybe out of the blue for a lot of people. But I think he was thinking about it for a while, and he has finally made the call..
.” Ashwin, however, will be available for local domestic cricket and will turn up in the Indian Premier League, donning the Chennai Super Kings colours next season. But then, Abhinav has no doubt that the retirement from international cricket will allow his good friend to focus on a lot of other things.
“I think Ashwin will be everywhere. He is going to become a Dasavatar like he is already,” Abhinav said with a smile. “That’s what he is going to become.
He will be in commentary, he will be in coaching, he will be on YouTube. If I know him really well, I think he will take up a role with the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association as well. He is going to do anything and everything under the sun.
You cannot keep him away from the sport. He is a proper cricket nerd. For all you know, he will get into analytics and technology and all of that,” he added.
Growing up in Chennai around the same time, Abhinav and Ashwin have risen through the ranks - from school cricket to state team, followed by breaking into the India fold. | Photo Credit: Ravichandran Ashwin/Instagram The last time he caught up with Ashwin, Abhinav remembers asking the former how he managed to do so many things, to which Ashwin only laughed. “I told him that, ‘for all of us, we have 24 hours.
You really have more than that, man. How do you manage time for all of these things? ‘ I am sure, right now, his priority and focus will be on family for a while. But that is very short-lived.
He will be back in the game. You will see him everywhere..
.” In fact, as Abhinav points out, he wouldn’t be surprised if Ashwin turns up for his local under-arm team in the neighbourhood, soon after returning from Australia. After all, that’s the sort of passion he has for the game.
Walking down memory lane, Abhinav remembers a time when both would play for Tamil Nadu U-22 side and that’s when he got an idea about how tough a leader Ashwin was. “It was well before we started playing for Ranji Trophy. He made his debut slightly before I did.
This was an under-22 game, where he was the captain and he was on the verge of making his debut for Tamil Nadu senior side. In a game against Hyderabad, which was out of our hands. Ashwin was batting with a tail.
“That morning, we had almost given up hope and we resigned to the fate where we were going to lose this game. He actually bowled us to a very good position to start off with, then he knocked off the winning run as well. There was so much belief that one person could give us that this was possible.
..” he added.
Ashwin did it over and over again in his long and illustrious career. “It’s a very weird thing, right? There are certain cricketers who are meant to be heroes. And, Ashwin is not your quintessential hero.
He probably looks really good while batting. He is not your athlete per se, and he will be the first one to admit it. But the kind of mental resilience that Ashwin has to never give up, that stubbornness within him is something I have always admired,” Abhinav said.
“We were room-mates for the initial three to four years of our Ranji Trophy career, and back then, I realised that this guy was something else. I really believe that he isn’t celebrated enough. And I hope now that he is celebrated as much as possible.
..” Also read | Kohli on Ashwin retirement: Your skill and match-winning contributions to Indian cricket are second to none Over the years, the respect has grown and now, more than a friend, Abhinav has become more of an Ashwin fan.
But then, did he get his due? “Well, this is a country which adores its characters. Like we’ve all grown up admiring the batters. Before my generation, there were people who used to admire Kapil Dev, but over generations, it’s always been about the batters - be it the GRV(Gundappa Viswanath)s or Sunil Gavaskar or Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin.
“Not a lot of people were particularly fan of bowlers. I think with the bowler comes this tag a little bit, but Ashwin, to me, definitely deserves all the praise that anyone can get. I think he will be quite happy with what he’s achieved in his career.
He’s punched way above his weight,” Abhinav added. While he would like Ashwin to cool his heels for a bit, spend quality time with the family, Abhinav knows for sure that he will soon bump into his old friend in one of the cricketing venues - maybe as a commentator, as a coach or just as a student of the game! Comments Related stories Related Topics R Ashwin / Abhinav Mukund Latest on Sportstar.
