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Journalism of Courage
When Ravichandran Ashwin got an inkling about being handed a Test cap,one of the first phone calls he made was to his coach Sunil Subramaniam. The Chennai-based logistics manager in turn dialled the vice-president of his company and took a week off from work,climbing aboard the first-available flight to Delhi. Ashwin,on his part,had asked his teammate and Delhi boy Virat Kohli to ensure that Subramaniam got one of the best seats at the Kotla. It would also ensure a short class with the coach at the end of the day if things didnt go according to plan in the middle.
Things actually went beautifully. Ashwin bettered his 3/81 in the first innings with a 6/47 in the second. His tally of 9 for 128,which also included a double-wicket maiden in the West Indies second innings,was the best by an Indian bowler on debut after Narendra Hirwanis 16 for 136 against the same opponents in Chennai.
The wicket was getting slower,so he was bowling faster through the air, Subramaniam said of the change in approach between the first and second innings. Between the end of Day One and the start of Day Three,Ashwin had received vital feedback from his coach.
Rude awakening
The story goes that former leg spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan was part of the junior selection committee when Ashwins dream of becoming a batsman was cut short. The Chennai School of Cricket has a tradition of giving budding cricketers a reality check Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly were keen fast bowlers before they were turned away by the MRF Pace Foundation. But young Ashwins career was revived by Subramaniam during a TNCA academy trial six years ago.
Perched at the end of his plush seat in the air-conditioned viewing box,Subramaniam was a nervous bundle of energy on Tuesday. He clasped his palms and tapped his feet in excitement. His eyes glinted with pride as he watched Ashwin approach the popping crease.
When Darren Sammy didnt pick the carrom ball and lost his stumps,Ashwin exulted in his first five-for. Seventy-odd yards away,Subramaniam realised that his faith in the rejected batsman had been vindicated at the highest level.
I saw that there was potential in him. Being a tall spinner myself I knew that the ability to generate extra bounce would help Ashwin, Subramaniam said. He was the first boy I marked out as special,even though others at the state nets didnt share my opinion.
Strike force
Ashwins trademark delivery had surprised both Sammy and Marlon Samuels in the same over. Samuels played inside the line of the carrom ball expecting it to turn,and was bowled. From both over and round the wicket,Ashwins control over line and length was impeccable.
From round the wicket,he pierced through left-hander Darren Bravos front-foot defence and trapped him lbw with a flighted delivery. Against Shivnarine Chanderpaul,Ashwin used the off-spinner to hit the pads,on this occasion from over the wicket. Ashwin had noticed that Chanderpaul was comfortable against the other line in the first innings and changed tactics on Tuesday. When Ravi Rampaul fell to a slog-sweep,Ashwin scalped his sixth of the innings.
His wards biggest strength,according to Subramaniam,is his constantly ticking mind,which analyses a batsmans game faster than most others. In Tests he will use the carrom ball sparingly,as it becomes more of a set up delivery,but it can also surprise batsmen, the coach reckoned. The perception was that he was a Twenty20 and ODI bowler,but he has shown that he can adapt to Test cricket too. His debut proves just that.
