Team India skipper Virat Kohli recently revealed what he texted to senior cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin after his impressive performance in the Melbourne Test against Australia. Incidentally, India scripted a landmark win Down Under beating Australia 2-1 without regular captain Kohli.
India defied all the odds – beating injuries and losing senior cricketers as the series progressed to trump the star-studded hosts. Ravichandran Ashwin played a leadership role stumping his authority with the ball and also proved his worth with the bat under pressure.
Ravichandran Ashwin is one of the most vital parts of the team – Virat Kohli
Recently speaking about Ashwin’s importance in the Test side, Virat Kohli revealed how he had texted the spinner after the Melbourne Test that it was the best he had seen him bowl overseas. Ravichandran Ashwin picked up 5 wickets in the game helping India bounce back from the Adelaide horror to draw the Test series 1-1.
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“Well, he (Ravichandran Ashwin) is one of the most vital parts of this team. After Melbourne, I sent him a text that this is the best I have seen you bowl overseas ever. I remember we had a conversation in Adelaide as well, I said people do not remember these small moments, in the first innings where Saha and Ash came out not out, Ash’s intent was something that stood out for me,” Kohli said in an interview with Star Sports.
Speaking further, Virat Kohli also revealed that he had a chat with Ravichandran Ashwin’s batting. An able batter, Ashwin has four centuries and 11 fifties under his belt. Kohli revealed how he reminded Ashwin of his batting exploits and the spinner did live up to the expectations on the Australia tour.
He batted for almost four hours in Sydney during the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy alongside Hanuma Vihari to save a Test match from nowhere.
“He had a conversation with us in the nets about his batting. We both said ‘you have so much more to provide for this team with the bat. That was one of your strengths. When we looked at you, we always felt like 30-35 guaranteed every innings. If he gets going, he will score a crucial 70-80’. So, suddenly you saw his body language. It was like ‘Hold on, this is my time, my tour now with the bat and with the ball’,” said Kohli.
