"Don't think MS Dhoni knew that I could bat"- Ravichandran Ashwin reveals how he surprised legendary captain

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin opened up about how he surprised MS Dhoni with his batting skills after his century in a Test match. He revealed that the keeper-batter didn’t know that the off-spinner can bat as well.

Ravichandran Ashwin as bowler is celebrated a lot but what he has done with bat for India is something that many don’t know. The veteran off-spinner has played a vital role for his team in Test cricket with the bat and there have been times when he bailed the team out of trouble with his batting ability.

Ravichandran Ashwin, who has picked over 500 Test wickets, has slammed 5 Test centuries as well. Whenever the team has been in trouble, he has stood tall for the team. He surely will end his career as a great of Indian cricket as his contribution to the team has been sensational.

Ravichandran Ashwin proved his batting prowess when he slammed his maiden Test hundred. The off-spinner achieved the feat in only his 3rd Test while playing against West Indies at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and helped his the game.

Ravichandran Ashwin scored 113 runs in the first innings and then chipped with the ball. He picked 9 wickets in the game, including a 5-wicket haul. The off-spinner was also awarded Player of the Match for his heroics and after that he took his game to the next level with the bat, hitting centuries at home as well as overseas.

Ravichandran Ashwin revealed that MS Dhoni didn’t have confidence in his batting because he saw him batting at No. 9, and No. 8 in the IPL. He revealed that at the time he was coping with the speed changes and hitting the ball didn’t come naturally to him. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, he explained:

“I don’t think MS knew that I could bat as well as I did. Because in the IPL you don’t see that much of batting. I was a very ordinary No. 9, No. 8. I was still coping with the speed changes. Hitting the ball didn’t come naturally to me.”

I didn’t know that you batted so well – MS Dhoni’s words to Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin revealed that after he hit his first Test century, MS Dhoni came up to him and said that he didn’t know that off-spinner batted so well. The Veteran player revealed that it was only after that the keeper-batter gained confidence in his batting. He added:

“He didn’t know that, but after I got my first hundred [in his third Test]. I didn’t know that you batted so well.’ Eventually, he also gave me a couple of opportunities to open for CSK and sent me up the order later on because he felt like I was a good touch player.”

Ravichandran Ashwin will be playing his 100th Test match for India in Dharamsala from 7th March against England. The off-spinner has been an incredible servant for the Indian Cricket Team and would want to make his 100th game special. He would want to help his team win the game and end the series with a margin of 4-1.