R Ashwin is a content material man after changing into solely the second Indian to take 500 Test wickets and has little interest in chasing Anil Kumble’s nationwide report of 619 scalps. Ashwin dismissed England opener Zak Crawley within the last session on day two and have become solely the ninth bowler to scale ‘Mount 500’ in Test historical past. The 37-year-old Ashwin mentioned he has no specific goal of pushing for extra and attempt to get to Kumble’s report. “The quite simple reply is ‘no’… 120 wickets away. Every day is what I need to reside for, and, I’m 37 years outdated. I do not know what’s in retailer subsequent,” Ashwin informed the media after stumps on the second day.

“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.

Recalling his journey on probably the most memorable days of his profession, Ashwin mentioned he may solely look again and say “not a bad achievement”.

“It’s been a very long journey. I don’t exactly know where to begin because I was an accidental spinner. I wanted to be a batter all along. Life gave me a chance.

“When I walked into the CSK dressing room, Muttiah Muralitharan didn’t want to bowl (with) the new ball and eventually I got tossed the new ball.

“I had a reasonable first-class (cricket) start to my life. (The) first-class career was pretty good. But nevertheless, the stage in the IPL made me made me visible to a lot of people and I eventually got my Test debut.

“People doubted me whether I could be a Test bowler and 10-13 years later… not bad, not a bad achievement. I’m pretty glad,” he added.

“It’s in a very innocuously placed time, the Test match, (the) second day… I think it’s hanging in the balance. It’s a good time to celebrate, probably go have dinner and then think about it (and) how far I’ve come in life,” Ashwin added.

With Nathan Lyon additionally having accomplished his 500 Test wickets final December, Ashwin revealed getting congratulated by the Australian wicketkeeper.

“Nathan and I, to a large extent, have been very synonymous in our cricketing careers. We made (our) debut around the similar times,” he mentioned.

“I remember his action from those days. I remember my action from those days. Mine has changed a few notches. His has changed a little bit. It’s been a fair competition between both of us.” “It’s been a delight to watch how he’s gone about his business and that’s what he also claims of me — and that’s why I’m saying that about him. Being a finger spinner and having been a mainstay in your respective countries is not easy. He recently finished his 500 (wickets), (so) I congratulated him. He has just congratulated me,” Ashwin added.

Ashwin mentioned he has fought a battle of notion for a very long time in his profession however current years have helped him be relaxed.

“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 mentioned.

“But I need to be happy. I’m in a really, really good space in my life and I want this to continue. I don’t want to let go of the love for the game. At one point in my life, I was in a really dark space. I didn’t want to watch the game and that’s not where I want to go in my life ever again,” he mentioned.

“I’m happy to watch the game. (Even) last night also, I watched Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka play in the third ODI highlights. I watched live New Zealand versus South Africa — this is who I want to be,” he mentioned.

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