I like the big stage, and I like to do it my own way: Ashwin

March 05, 2015 03:14 pm | Updated March 06, 2015 12:30 am IST - Perth

Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin

It may not have been expected in World Cup in Australia, but after three matches, R. Ashwin is India’s highest wicket-taker. Contrary to widely-held perceptions about spinners’ roles in the lead-up to the tournament, Ashwin has bowled not to defend but to strike.

“I just made up my mind that I’m going to bowl this way the entire tournament,” he said here on Thursday, ahead of India’s match with the West Indies. “There are times when I prepare for such big tournaments over what I’m going to be doing. Come what may, I’ll try to execute it, and I’ve come out to express myself in these major tournaments.

“I like the big stage, and I like to do it my own way.”

Ashwin has eight wickets from three matches, but more important than the numbers has been the manner in which he’s bowling. He acknowledged that wickets falling up front had given him more freedom.

Asked if he was bowling at his best, Ashwin smiled. “My journey as a bowler in international cricket…it’s been one heck of a big learning curve,” he said. “There are times when you think you’re bowling really well, and you end up learning even more in that particular phase, so you can’t really say you’re bowling at your best.

“There have been times before when I’ve thought I’m bowling at my best, but immediately — in ten months or a year’s time — I always found there is another gear to go up. You never know with this game. If you’re open to learning, the summit is very high.”

Ashwin’s record against Chris Gayle in the IPL will offer India confidence that he can succeed again on Friday. His plan, though, had always been to attack the batsman, he revealed.

“It's not just Chris Gayle, it’s any batsman who attacks you and wants to put you off your stride. I go strongly to dismiss any batsman that I think is dangerous because I like it. You’ve got to restrict the hitting to one side of the ground because you have three fielders (there),” the off-spinner said.

Kohli issue

The media’s relationship with the team has come under scrutiny in the wake of the Virat Kohli episode, but Ashwin, while not commenting on the incident, made his views clear.

“The media is here to support us. It’s very heartening to see the media turn up in such huge numbers. But the media has a responsibility, of taking cricket back home in a responsible fashion, taking cricket to the public in the way it needs to be taken,” he said.

“There are times when I’m not happy with that, but that’s my opinion. But there are other times when you support the players, and it’s very important to take the game forward,” he said.

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