‘I got a real pasting from Ravi Shastri…’: Ashwin reveals getting bashed by former India head coach in England

India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently retired from international cricket. Following the end of the Gabba Test against Australia on December 18, Ashwin called time on his career, finishing as India's second-highest wicket-taker across formats. Ashwin has now opened up about the time when he got a pasting from the former India head coach Ravi Shastri during the England tour in 2018. Ravichandran Ashwin opens up on the time when he got a real pasting from Ravi Shastri. (AP/PTI)

Ashwin did a masterclass with Ian Ward in 2018, during which he discussed his variations, including the carrom ball. The off-spinner has now revealed that Shastri did not like him speaking about the various tricks he has up his sleeve to fox the batters.

“I got a real pasting from Ravi Shastri for doing that masterclass. I’m sure you’ve heard about that from him. I think he had his point, but somehow, inside me, I never felt insecure about it. I think there’s two things in the game, right?" said Ashwin while speaking to Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton during the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.

"One is to be able to deliver what you have, and the other is to be able to respond to what you throw down the other end, and I always believed, and I had the courage to say, here’s what I have to dish out,” he added.

'Battle in my own head'

India lost the 2018 series against England in the UK. The visitors suffered a 1-4 defeat in the five-match series. Although India was on top several times, England found a way to get the better of the visitors.

Midway during the series, Ashwin had done a masterclass with Ian Ward, speaking about how he likes to go about his job. Ashwin who took 537 Test wickets, played 7 matches in the UK, taking 18 wickets.

“Let’s see if you’ve got it in you to come at me and very few times I found that the batters have not had the courage to come at me for that and I think it’s all it also plays a very deep mental game," said Ashwin.

"Probably it’s a battle I have in my own head but all that aside I’ve never been shy of sharing what I’ve got because for me every time I shared I found a question inside me so when I shared and I got a question I had this unique capability to be able to take that question on board and find answers for it,” he added.

Ashwin announced his retirement shortly after the Gabba Test between India and Australia ended in a draw. Ashwin bid adieu to the international game as the seventh highest wicket-taker in Tests.

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