'Need to Have Some Reserves in the Tank': Ashwin Gearing Up for a Long Test Season with This Simple Formula

Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin brought Bangladesh to their knees with a stellar all-round show at his home ground. On Sunday, India defeated the visitors by a margin of 280 runs to go 1-0 up in the series while Ashwin bagged the Player of the Match award for his remarkable contributions. He lifted India’s first innings with a sixth Test hundred and then, choked the Bangladesh batters in the chase of 515 with a record 37^th five-wicket haul.

This was just the beginning of an enthralling Test season which comprises 9 more matches till June 25. But for Ashwin, the preparation differs at the age of 38. Addressing the post-match presser on Sunday at Chepauk, he admitted that it is now more about taking one match at a time than fitting the whole season in a single frame.

“Like you rightly said, it’s a long season. It’s tough. Sometimes when you look so far ahead, it can be quite difficult. You’re playing like 3-4 months of cricket, and 10 Test matches,” Ashwin told reporters after the first Test against Bangladesh here.

“But sometimes you can’t think like that. You have to stack it up (one match at a time). I did put in a bit of work getting into it. I need to have some reserves in the tank,” he added.

The Chennaiite also wanted to use the breaks in between Tests or two series to keep himself in the optimum physical condition.

“There are good breaks between games. Hopefully, we’ll get small windows for me to keep ironing it out (fitness). More than skill, I think it’s about physically being able to go through the season which is of utmost importance for me,” he noted.

Ashwin also reserved a word of praise for Rishabh Pant, who made a hundred on his return to Test cricket for the first time since 2022.

“I don’t think Rishabh’s form or ability was ever going to be in question at all. I think the way he’s come back and put himself on the field is quite miraculous. I don’t think there was any pressure on him.

“He’s entertaining. Not the greatest of sights for people sitting behind him to go into bat. I don’t know when his turn will come. But yeah, I think he’s only going to get better. He’s always had the backing of the team,” he added.

(With Agency Inputs)