IND vs ENG 3rd Test: R Ashwin's 'Very Simple Answer' On Chasing Anil Kumble's Record After Hitting 500-Wicket Milestone

IND vs ENG: 37-year-old Ravichandran Ashwin mentioned that he doesn't have a specific goal to actively pursue surpassing Kumble's record of highest Test wickets for India.

Ravichandran Ashwin mentioned that he doesn't have a specific goal to pursue surpassing Kumble's record of highest Test wickets for India.

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Ravichandran Ashwin, the premier spinner of the Indian cricket team, claimed his 500th Test wicket by dismissing Zak Crawley of England on Day 2 of the ongoing 3rd IND vs ENG Test of the of the five-match Test-series between India and England at Rajkot’s Niranjan Shah Stadium on February 16 (Friday). With this achievement, Ashwin becomes just the second Indian bowler and the ninth overall to reach the coveted milestone. With that milestone, Ashwin has inched closer to Anil Kumble’s record of India’s highest Test wicket-taker with 619 wickets.

However, the veteran Indian off-spinner, R Ashwin, has stated that he did not set a specific goal to surpass the legendary spinner Anil Kumble's record of 619 Test wickets.

During a press conference after the conclusion of play on Day 2, Ashwin elaborated on his approach, emphasising why he prefers not to overthink the future and aims to relish each step of his journey one day at a time.

"The very simple answer is 'no'... 120 wickets away. Every day is what I want to live for, and, I'm 37 years old. I don't know what's in store next," Ashwin told the media in Rajkot on February 16.

‘Why Change Anything That's Working For You?’

Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his pragmatic approach towards the future, stating that he doesn't want to anticipate the near future or beyond. He emphasised the effectiveness of his simple and consistent mindset over the last 4-5 years, noting that if something is working well, there's no need for unnecessary changes.

"What's in store for the next two months? You play this series and then what lies ahead, you really don't know. I don't want to really jump the gun. I've kept it this way for the last 4-5 years and it's been very simple and it's worked for me. Why change anything that's working for you?" Ashwin added.

Ashwin’s Battle With His Public Perception Over The Years

Ravichandran Ashwin also acknowledged a long-standing battle with perceptions about him throughout his career but emphasised that in the past 5-6 years, he has reached a point of ease. He expressed a shift in mindset, stating that he no longer concerns himself with constantly proving or disproving others' opinions, recognizing that people will have varying views about him, and he is content with that.

"I've always fought a level of perception in my life, about what people think of me. But definitely, in the last 5-6 years, I've actually not cared about it. I can't keep proving everybody wrong and I can't prove everybody right. I'm glad that somebody is happy and somebody is not," he stated.