Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has spoken openly about the difficult periods when his physical and emotional health weren’t the best. Ashwin, who is presently rated first in the ICC Test bowling rankings, is one of India’s most significant match-winners in red-ball cricket. The top spinner has put a lot of effort into improving his bowling, and even at the age of 36, he isn’t afraid to pick up new skills and expand his toolbox.
As his father and wife were hospitalized to the hospital while he was in the IPL bio-bubble, Ashwin had some difficult moments during COVID-19.
“I’m not sure. I mean, now that I think about it, I’m not sure whether it had an effect, but overall, I wasn’t in the best of physical and mental shape. I didn’t play in the 2019 World Cup after the 2018 England trip; I wasn’t even a contender. I wasn’t feeling well. As a result, when I finally emerged, I convinced myself it wasn’t worthwhile, Ashwin told Indian Express.
The seasoned captain discussed his goals for leadership and his decision to improve his interpersonal skills after his less-than-stellar captaincy tenure with Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab) came to an end.
“At one time, I aspired to play three different formats. I’ve always thought I had excellent leadership skills. Since leadership isn’t only about what happens on the field, I’ve always thought I could be a good leader. They are leading guys. When my tenure as Kings XI Punjab’s manager came to an end, I realized, nevertheless, that I needed to improve my intra-personal abilities,” he said.
After failing to lead the Mohali-based team to the playoffs in IPL seasons 2018 and 2019, Ashwin joined Delhi Capitals for the 2020 campaign.
The star spinner, though, said that while working on intra-personal skills was challenging, it was also crucial.
“It wasn’t the best, but I had to go that route to comprehend it. Because my level of commitment to cricket is not always shared by others, he said.
