R Ashwin stated that he believed in himself enough to create his reputation at Chennai Super Kings (CSK) during his first spell, despite fighting with the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan for a berth in the playing XI.
Ashwin retired from international cricket during the Border-Gavaskar Series. On Wednesday, August 27, the Tamil Nadu off-spinner announced his retirement from Indian cricket. He will now explore for opportunities to play in leagues throughout the world.
R Ashwin recently expressed how much he enjoys quieting his critics.
The experienced campaigner remembered how people dismissed him when he joined CSK, believing he would struggle to make an impact in the company of renowned off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan. Nonetheless, the 38-year-old managed to hold his own and make his presence known.
“Had anyone said I would achieve so much at the start of my career, I would have been surprised. Yet, when you first try to make it big, the world will constantly oppose it, saying ‘He’s an overthinker, over ambitious and too big to fit in the glove’. I’ve heard many such about myself. However, if I am not ambitious about my own life, who will be?” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“Even when I played for CSK, Muttiah Muralitharan was the off-spinner. When he was picked, many told me ‘There is no way two off-spinners will play’. Unfortunately, I have this problem where I wanted to prove people wrong by trying to respond, ‘I’ll make them play two off-spinners’. I see that as my confidence. I’ve even said I’ll play ahead of Muralitharan. That’s not me belittling Muralitharan. It’s just me trying to get to his level,” Ashwin added.
R Ashwin finished his international career with 765 wickets from 287 international appearances. Meanwhile, in the IPL, he took 187 wickets in 220 matches. Apart from his remarkable bowling records across formats, Ashwin scored six centuries in Test cricket.
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