Former India star R. Ashwin was part of an event in Bengaluru where he was in conversation with Harsha Bhogle. The 38-year-old touched upon a variety of topics and one of them was the role of the commentators in presenting the sport to the consumers. Ashwin, who has been a vocal voice on social media, recently spoke about this aspect to the veteran cricket presenter.
R. Ashwin said, “So much data is great for the audience to consume and commentators to present to the audience.". To which Bhogle replied, “You are going to be a commentator soon. So be careful’’. The former India spinner was quick to reply, “I really hope not. I don't want to just talk about just players but I want to talk about cricket. One of my big concerns is that we are not presenting enough cricket to the audience.”
Harsha Bhogle also asked the former India star how he assessed a player when he was a player. To which Ashwin replied, “I think my observation would have been fine. For example, if Virat Kohli is batting. I would be standing back in the net watching what he does when he steps out, goes on the back foot or watches from side ons only thinking I don't have a view from the top angle. The head is the heaviest part of the body. I would notice from the side that if the head is stationary, he wants to play from the back foot and if the head is forward, he wants to go down the ground.”
The 38-year-old also added, “These are small cues. Many times I call out the keeper.Like Sanju Samson while playing for RR. I asked him where the batsman is positioned in the crease, where his head is, and whether his hands are low down or up. For Eg- in the India vs. England series. Rishabh Pant and I had a discussion that dan Lawrence steps out and the ball is sandwiched between his legs and gets him out for a stumping.”
Ashwin recalls setting field against MS Dhoni for Sam Curran
Noted Indian spin bowler R. Ashwin is set to make his return to Chennai Super Kings for the coming season of IPL. During his chat with Harsha Bhogle during an event in Bengaluru, the 38-year-old recalled setting a field for former skipper MS Dhoni. Sam Curran who was part of the Punjab Kings squad, was faced with the task of bowling to Dhoni in an IPL match.
Ashwin recalled “Sam Curran bowling to MS Dhoni. Punjab is playing against CSK. I am leading the side. Sam bowling to MS Dhoni is easy; he takes him down. Sam Curran was bowling; it was his first season in the IPL and we had a wide Yorker field set. We have a square and a short leg up.”
India’s former spin wizard went on to say, “MS doesn't scoop so Sam says that's good; I will keep going there. I asked him that you can bowl a bouncer to him because I have been watching MS Dhoni for a long time; he reads plays and gets into your head. He wins the battle when he thinks this is where you will deliver the bowl. He is ready for it. I said bowl a bouncer to him but Sam says it is a huge risk. I have got a square leg up; it's a huge risk. I said, go for it.”
“He bowls it and MS got hit on his arm because he is waiting for the wide Yorker and it goes for a single and Sam delivers a last over, which hasn't gone for many. We won the game. That's a great lesson for me because if he knew it was a short ball or blank in his head, he would have tonked that 10 rows outside the ground,” Ashwin ended by saying.