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India's decorated off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin revealed that they considered forfeiting an inning after rain and a wet outfield took away more than two days of play in the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur.
India overcame the odds that threatened their chances of walking away with a victory with a mesmerising performance that came from fearlessness. After the conditions allowed the game to resume, Bangladesh resumed their inning at 107/3 on Day 4. With two days left and India determined to push for a result, there were talks among the camp to forfeit the inning. From the gloomy overcast conditions, the sun started to make its presence felt on the final two days of the second Test. Considering the new changes, the talks soon died away after bowlers toiled hard to pick wickets under harsh and hot conditions. "Yes, we discussed it (forfeiting an inning). We were considering whether we should forfeit an innings, but the heat was so intense. These are harsh conditions--sweating profusely, I had to change shirts four times in a day, and it still wasn't enough. It was especially tough on the fast bowlers, and even the spinners found it exhausting. If we got them out for another 200 runs, it would still mean spending five sessions on the field, which would be hard on the batters as well. So, we decided to bat and go after the bowling," Ashwin said while speaking on JioCinema. After India's successful series sweep over Bangladesh, Ashwin was crowned the Player of the Series, which was his 11th title overall in Test cricket. He went level with Sri Lanka's legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who also bagged 11 POTS awards during his illustrious career. But Ashwin is not looking to compare himself with Muralitharan. For him, his exceptional figures are a result of the joy that he puts into the game for India's success. "I'm not comparing myself with him (Muralidharan). It's a great milestone, and I'm pleased. At the end of the day, you're playing a game you love, and it's nice to take something away from it. These numbers come as a result of the joy I'm putting into the game. I love my game, and these are just by-products. While I'm glad and pleased, it's not something that drives me anymore," With a relentless hunger for piling up runs on the board, India went after Bangladesh bowlers and declared on a score of 285/9. With a 52-run lead, India's bowlers delivered a performance that forced the visitors to scamper for survival. Bangladesh folded on 146, and India comfortably chased down the target and clinched a 7-wicket win. (ANI)
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