Thought of quitting for various reasons: Ashwin

RAVICHANDRAN Ashwin, who recently became India’s third highest wicket-taker in Tests by overtaking fellow off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, recently confessed that he considered quitting the game several times between 2018 and 2020 due to injury and because he did not “feel backed”.

The 35-year-old cricketer told ESPNcricinfo, “I contemplated retirement for a lot of reasons.

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“I felt like people were not sensitive enough to my injuries. I felt like a lot of people were backed, why not me? I have done no less.”

Ashwin, who has 427 Test scalps in 81 matches and trails only Anil Kumble (619) and Kapil Dev (434), has suffered several injuries, including to his knee and abdomen, since making his international debut a decade ago.

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“I felt I was not being able to be excellent and felt I needed a shoulder to lean on,” Ashwin said ahead of India’s first Test against South Africa in Centurion starting Sunday (26).

“It was not happening. I thought maybe I should try to find something else and be excellent at that,” he added.

Ashwin recently made a comeback into India’s white-ball team and played the T20 World Cup in the UAE besides bagging the player-of-the-series award against New Zealand in a two-Test series at home in which he took 14 wickets.

The cricketer, who is not known for mincing words, said understanding towards injuries in Indian cricket is “pathetic”.

“One thing that will forever hurt me is that statements were made about how I didn't want to play or how I ran away from a contest,” the cricketer who also has five hundreds in Tests, said.

“You can brand me anything, you can kick me out, all that is fine, but to doubt my intent or my fight is something that deeply hurt me,” he told the cricket channel.

Ashwin played a key role in India’s victory in a Test series in Australia earlier this year but was overlooked for the subsequent tour of England.

The veteran cricketer has made a comeback in recent times, particularly under the watch of new national head coach Rahul Dravid.

In South Africa, Ashwin has played only three Tests in which he has taken seven wickets at an average of 46 plus.