What do numbers mean to Ashwin? Spinner reacts to wicket-taking records

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Image credit: Getty Images

Veteran Indian all-rounder and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has scripted history of late. He has become the second-highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket, going past Kapil Dev's tally of 434 wickets, while Ashwin currently has 442. Although impressed by his numbers, he has revealed that he never really runs after the numbers.

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"The numbers are great, and it's humbling to see what I've been able to do in terms of the numbers. The more I've played, the more it felt like the numbers were part of the journey rather than the destination. In the past two to three years, the feeling has been great, with series wins in Australia, coming back into the T20 team; it almost feels like how I felt when I first broke into the team, wherein a lot has been going on for me," Ashwin said in a Rajasthan Royals (RR) release.

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Image credit: Rajasthan Royals

Ashwin, who was roped in by RR during the IPL 2022 Mega Auction, has credited the tournament for making him better as a cricketer. He labelled the competition as a tough one, with so many variables. He also feels that it gives him room for experimentation, making him a rich cricketer, while he is not concerned about the results.

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Image credit: BCCI

"I feel contribution to a team is far beyond just contributing on the ground. I've always been a person who enjoys talking about cricket and has been very open to discussing with anyone around the sport. With my experience and communication skills, I'll try to have discussions with anyone who wants to have a discussion and help to the best of my ability, hopefully making a difference to the squad from within," added Ashwin.

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Ashwin also hailed RR skipper Sanju Samson. He applauded his attitude and termed him open-minded. "I do believe Sanju has got the vantage point as a wicketkeeper to judge the game with all the angles, the pitch and how things will work. He also has age on his side and will get better," he concluded.