IND vs NZ 2021: I Was Standing At The Crossroads Last Year Thinking Whether I Would Play Tests Again - Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin revealed that he was unsure about his future after the pandemic hit as he hadn’t played for India in the longest format when they toured New Zealand last year.
Ashwin recently surpassed Harbhajan Singh to become the third-highest wicket-taker for India in Tests. However, there was a point in time in 2020 where the 35-year-old offie was doubting if he would ever be able to represent India in whites again.
“To be very modest about what is happening in my life and my career over the last couple of years, I did not know if I would go on to play Test cricket when we were in the pandemic, in the lockdown. I had not played (India’s) last Test in Christchurch (which began on February 29, 2020).
“I was standing at the crossroads thinking whether I would play Tests again, where is my future headed, do I get into the Test team which is the only format I am playing. But God has been kind, and I have been able to turn things around. I then shifted to Delhi Capitals when you (Shreyas) were the captain, and things have changed ever since,” Ashwin said in an interview with Shreyas Iyer on Bcci.tv.
“We were so close yet so far” – Ravichandran Ashwin after NZ steal a last-gasp draw
The New Zealand team showed a lot of spirit and character on Monday and defied India a 1-0 lead in the 2-match Test series. The last-wicket pair of Rachin Ravindra and Ajaz Patel managed to survive 8.4 overs before bad light ensured no further play was possible.
“After the game, it is still sinking in, the fact that we could not win, we were so close yet so far. It’s a tough thing to get over for me. It happened once in Jamaica, where we could not cross the line. On the last day, we were trying to force a victory but could not get it. It takes some time for me, especially as a bowler bowling in the last innings, but it just did not happen today,” Ashwin added after the match.
With the first Test drawn between the two sides, they now move on to Mumbai, where the final Test will be held from December 3-7.
