Ravichandran Ashwin has always been a great talker. He digs deep, tries to understand the game, and then comments on it. Now, as one foraying into the media space, he has already build up a significant fan following with his analysis.
The best part about Ashwin is that he speaks his mind, and that’s what sets him apart. This is what was on show when we did this interview to try and set up the England-India series.
While the transcript of the interview will be up on the RevSportz site soon, let me focus on just one aspect here, for it will help demonstrate how Ashwin reads the game and how his insights are different and yet profound.
It was natural that I’d ask him the Jasprit Bumrah question. And it was as if Ashwin was waiting for it.
“We haven’t really made use of sports science and technology when it comes to Bumrah,” he said. “At the moment, it is all very subjective. In Australia also, it wasn’t until Melbourne that Jassi said he was tired and his body wasn’t giving more. Thereafter, he broke down in Sydney. There are some real lessons here. And that’s what will define how you use him in England.”
Seeing me curious, he started again.
“See, it is subjective to say he will play three Tests or four Tests. Why not two, and why not four? Now, we can measure everything, and then when you add to it how the player is feeling, you can come to a near-perfect assessment of where you stand with Jassi.
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“Let me explain – you should measure his body parameters every day at training. Every single session should be monitored. And then, you should monitor him in matches as well. If you do it every day, you have clear markers how his body is, at what speed he is running in, and all that you need to know. Then, ask him how he is feeling and you will know clearly when to give him a break or when to slow down.
“For example, if you see his body parameters changing at the end of two Test matches, you know clearly that you need to be more careful. That’s when you need to tell him or ask him if he is feeling anything. If he says no, you can continue but you need to closely monitor things. Also, he knows that way that he needs to say it the moment he feels something wrong.
“With sports science, all of this is possible. The truth is you should not base things on subjective assessment. Suppose he doesn’t feel anything at the end of two Tests, would you still rest him? If he does feel something at the end of the Leeds Test, would you still want to play him at Edgbaston?
“These are critical calls for India, and could go on to define the series. Had Jassi been there in Sydney, India could have won that match. So how you manage him will have a huge bearing on the outcome of the contest.”
It was a fantastic conversation, and I am very sure viewers will want to listen to everything he said on Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and more.
Full interview 12 noon on RevSportz.
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