One of the greatest captains in history is MS Dhoni. Only he has won the three main ICC white-ball competitions as a captain. Dhoni also has five IPL championships to his credit.
Ravichandaran Ashwin, overcome with emotion and overwhelmed with gratitude after being lavishly praised for reaching the 500-wicket mark in Test matches, remembered Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the captain of India and the man he would always be “indebted to” for believing in a “nobody” 13 years ago. Ashwin is a true superstar in Indian cricket, trailing just the legendary Anil Kumble in the list of the country’s best five-day wicket-takers with 516 scalps in 100 Test matches.
That was not the case, though, when the Chennai Super Kings signed him as a local spinner in 2008. That year, their spin attack was spearheaded by the illustrious Muttiah Muralitharan, and he was not given a game.
In the 2011 Indian Premier League final between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Dhoni, Ashwin received the new ball from Dhoni. Ashwin, an off-spinner at the time, made an impression by removing an in-form Chris Gayle in the fourth delivery itself.
In the same year, he made his debut for India under captain Dhoni, winning player of the match in the Delhi encounter against the West Indies.
“I met MS Dhoni and Mathew Hayden, two of the greats, in the CSK dressing room in 2008.” 2008 was the IPL that I watched. “I was a nobody back then, so where am I to play in a team with Muttiah Muralitharan?” remarked an emotional Ashwin, who was honored for his uncommon accomplishments in a lavish ceremony hosted by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association.
“I will always be grateful to Dhoni for everything he has done for me. He gave me the chance to take on Chris Gayle head-on with the new ball, and 17 years later, Anil bhai and I would be chatting about the same incident,” he recounted with nostalgia.
For Ashwin, the Chennai Super Kings’ incredible Chepauk night was just the start. Several celebrities, both past and present, paid tribute to him, so it seems sense that Ashwin felt overtaken.
“Normally, I don’t look for words to describe my emotions. I’m very appreciative and humbled to be here,” he joked.
One of the best thinkers in the game, the 37-year-old Chennai native has a knack for self-reinvention and has amassed a large number of wickets in the longest format.
He defined himself as a debater, but only while seeking fresh insights.
“Anil bhai and Rahul (Dravid) bhai briefly mentioned that it is difficult to win an argument with me.” It is true because I believe that arguing is one of the most effective paths to success.
“Argument is never about the person. As Kumble observed from the stage, he said, “It always ends with true learning.”
Ashwin also praised a number of Tamil Nadu greats in attendance, including his first First-Class captain, S Badrinath, and former batter S Sharath, who is now an India selector.
Ashwin, who is especially deadly against left-handers, credited Sharath with helping him improve his southpaw bowling.
“Many people mentioned how I tormented lefties on a daily basis. Mr S Sharath, who is sitting in front of me, is my first encounter with left-handed people. Someone informed me that if you’re a good off-spinner, you should try to get this man out.
“I did get him out once, caught at slip, and I played several more games with Sharath, but he never came out to me again. That’s the caliber of batter he was. I bowled a lot to him and as a result became a much better left-handed bowler.
Ashwin is so committed to Tamil Nadu and club cricket that he still makes himself available for domestic competitions when he is not on national duty.”This location has provided me with so much that I want to keep coming back. People keep asking why you want to return.
“I may not be living tomorrow, but my soul will still be here. “This is what this place means to me,” Ashwin said.
