Ravichandran Ashwin, one of India’s greatest cricketers and a recently retired international player, is eager to reshape the public perception of his personality. Known for his fierce competitive spirit on the field, Ashwin is often seen as a serious individual, but he insists that this doesn’t fully represent who he is.
In a conversation with Sky Sports Cricket, Ashwin revealed that his intense on-field demeanor often misleads people who don’t know him personally. “I do like to have fun and enjoy life off the field,” he shared. Ashwin has attempted to address these misconceptions in his memoir, released earlier this year in July, offering readers a deeper look into both his personal and professional lives.
Drawing parallels, Ashwin mentioned Virat Kohli, another Indian cricket icon known for his fiery and animated celebrations on the field.
“I wanted people to know me for who I am, because a lot of times, Ashwin is picking up a wicket and Virat Kohli is all over the place,” Ashwin said. “He’s just jumping about and people very often tend to believe that Ashwin’s the one that’s absolutely serious and Virat’s the one that’s having all the fun, which is why somebody asked me the question ‘Why are you serious all the time?’ My answer to that in the first place is I’m never a serious person, but when somebody is clobbering me and I have the ball in my hand to win a Test Match for my country, my mind is sticking, because I’m in the process.”
“So very often, you don’t see me picking up a five-wicket haul and pushing across a kiss through the blade of my bat to my better half sitting in the dressing room or sitting in the hospitality box. So I felt like a lot of who I am got diluted in the fact of what I’ve become. So I wanted to bring that out in my book,” Ashwin added.
The off-spinner, who finished his illustrious career with an impressive 765 wickets across formats, announced his retirement midway through the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. The decision shocked fans, teammates, and even his family, as the 38-year-old hadn’t given any prior hints about stepping away from the game.
While Ashwin’s international career has concluded, he is not entirely leaving cricket behind. He plans to continue playing club cricket and is set to don the yellow jersey of the Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
