My mother gave me the mantra to perform or perish: Ashwin

Chennai: Sounding a warning to rival teams, India's key strike bowler R Ashwin today said he was bowling in one of his best phases, recalling his mother's words to perform or perish when he was undergoing a lean phase a year ago. "Definitely, I am bowling at one of my best phases in my life. I would not say that this is the best. Best times could be lying ahead you never know," he told reporters here. Giving an insight of his present turnaround after he was dropped from the Adelaide Test in 2015, Ashwin said "I told myself that my attitude needed a kick and my attitude needed to change, because my attitude was coming in the way of improving myself." He said his mother had told him that,"If you don't improve you don't get very far in life. But if you don't change you don't give yourself a chance to improve," he recalled. The ICC Player of the Year said the advice of his college Head of Department, though for his engineering degree, too had an impact. The HOD had asked him to put in the "hard yards" to be eligible to earn his degree. "I too meet a lot of people who do this. They look to improve but do the same thing again. That don't get you very far my friends. That was my lesson." Stating that he had managed to surprise himself in his performances, he hoped it "gets better." He said he was looking to "learn every single day." The Chennai spinner wants to focus on improvement for the day and not look at two or three more months ahead, "which may cause burnout." He said his idea was to have a plan and prepare to bowl 30-40 overs in a day or in an innings and "it is the only things I am preparing for." On how was he going to fulfill heightened expectations in view of his recent spectacular performance, he said, "expectations are bound to mount, everytime you do well, and everytime you don't too, that is the only reason I am playing this game. I am not playing for rewards, I love this game much more than any body else in this world." He said his idea was to have a plan and prepare to bowl 30-40 overs in a day or in an innings and "it is the only things I am preparing for."