Veteran Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has recently opened up on his struggle with multiple injury issues that had happened between 2017 and 2019. He also shared that a condition called “patellar tendonitis” happened to him which made things difficult for him, and normal work like walking also became painful too.
But he overcame that struggling phase and recently played important roles in the longer format as well. Moreover, he was named player of the series for picking up 14 wickets in two Tests against New Zealand at home which came at an average of 11.36. In an interview with The Cricket Monthly, Ashwin recalled his battling phase.
“When it comes to physical preparation, between 2017 and 2019, I first got struck by this injury called patellar tendonitis. It is not like you can’t play with it, but the beauty of the injury is that your knees just won’t warm up. In the morning, even walking can be excruciatingly painful. They open up as the day pans out, but you can’t jog. It takes at least two or three laps before it feels okay. The pain never really goes off,” the cricketer from Tamil Nadu said.
Ravichandran Ashwin further shared that the injury initially affected his right leg, and jumping amid this state became extremely difficult for him. And, it became more difficult when he was later hit by “athletic pubalgia” which was an extension of his first injury as well.
Explaining his struggles with injuries, he shared:
“You need to have a bit of a jump, you have to go on one leg at least for a fraction of a second before you deliver the ball. So it became very challenging. Even my practice had started to become a bit of a challenge. And eventually the left leg got affected too, because of the extra load it had to carry.”
Ashwin added:
“Every other part of the body had to make up for what the knee wasn’t able to produce. Then I started to bowl with different actions. Because of athletic pubalgia, getting into a side-on position every time would be tough. Then after about ten overs into a spell, all of a sudden there would be no energy going through the body. Then I tore my abdomen, then I tore my adductors. It was like dominos. These injuries left a lot of scars on me.”
“To doubt my intent or my fight is something that deeply hurt me” – Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin not only worked hard to return to the game but also returned to the white-ball squad after four years during the T20 World Cup in the UAE and did well too. He also revealed that it was hurting to listen that he used injuries as an excuse as well. He expressed:
“A lot of teammates get injured, but when I got injured, it seemed more than what it was. There was insensitivity towards injury. It scarred me deeply. I would go to county cricket thinking, “I should just get through the day.” That I should bowl 25 overs without injuring myself. Because if I injure myself in county cricket, I would end up raising eyebrows.”
“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. 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,” Ravichandran Ashwin signed off.
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