Ashwin says IPL is a tough tournament

Premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who recently became India’s second highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, said he never ran after numbers in his career and considers personal milestones as ‘just part of the journey and not final destination’.

Ashwin, who picked up 12 wickets at an average of 15.08 in the recent Test series against Sri Lanka, became India’s second highest wicket-taker in Test matches after he surpassed legendary Kapil Dev’s tally of 434 wickets. By doing so, he also became the eighth highest overall in the history of Test cricket with a tally of 442 scalps.

‘The numbers are great, and it’s humbling really to see what I’ve been able to do in terms of the numbers. The more I’ve played, the more it felt like the numbers are a part of the journey rather than the destination,’ Ashwin said in a release.

‘In the past 2-3 years especially, the feeling has been great, with series’ wins in Australia, comeback into the T20 team, it almost feels like how I felt when I first broke into the team, wherein a lot has been going on for me.’

The 35-year-old spinner, who will represent his fifth franchise in IPL after being roped in by Rajasthan Royals, said the lucrative T20 tournament has helped him develop into a better cricketer from its onset.

‘The IPL is a tough tournament, there are a lot of variables leading into every season which can have an impact. Dew, pitches, the opposition, you name it and there’s a variable that can impact a game in different ways – which makes it a challenge to prepare for things in advance and you’ve got to be ready at all times,’ Ashwin said in a release issued by RR.

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