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Ashwin reveals Test career turning point

The 30-year-old has identified a 2013 Test against South Africa as a watershed moment in his international career

India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed how his desire to be better than the likes of South Africa star AB de Villiers has driven him to become one of the world’s most-feared Test bowlers.

Ashwin admitted being dropped after failing to spin India to victory in a Test against the Proteas almost three years ago, where de Villiers and Faf du Plessis nearly pulled off a world-record fourth-innings chase, has spurred him on to become one of Test cricket’s most valuable players.

“The criticism that came out of that game got the better of me,” the 30-year-old told Wisden India. "It told me that I wasn’t good enough and that I needed to improve.

“It made me raise my standards.”

Ashwin leads India to resounding win

The Test in question was the first on India’s 2013 two-Test tour of South Africa, where MS Dhoni’s side put themselves into a commanding position when they declared their second innings before tea on day four to set their hosts 458 for a near-impossible victory.

But stunning centuries to du Plessis (134) and de Villiers (103) not only denied India a series-opening win but put the Proteas eight runs away from recording the highest successful run chase in Test history.

Ashwin bowled 36 wicketless overs in the draw and was dropped for the next Test.

Image Id: E73C339B3D1946809A6E6FFF07813E30 Image Caption: Du Plessis and de Villiers put on 205 for the fifth wicket against India // Getty

“I had seen an article … where (it was) said that an all-time great (de Villiers) and a modern-day great (du Plessis) had denied India.

“Yes, that’s true, but I want to be bigger than both of them. If I want that, I have to beat them in that battle.

“But I couldn’t. So I needed to get better and push ahead.”

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Having taken seven wickets, including his 100th career scalp, in India’s previous Test against the West Indies, Ashwin’s dumping was perhaps a little unforgiving.

Especially considering his 104 Test wickets had come at a more-than-respectable average of 28.50 to that point.

But after being overlooked for his country’s next six Tests, Ashwin returned during India’s tour of England in 2014 and has become one of the most prolific spin-bowlers in international cricket.

Since his comeback, he’s taken 99 scalps at 21.68. Only England seamer Stuart Broad (103) has taken more Test wickets in that period.

And considering Ashwin also has four Test centuries to his name (two since returning to India’s Test side in 2014), he’s arguably been the most valuable player in the game’s longest format in the two-and-a-bit years after his reinstatement.

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“I want to be the match-winner every time I play,” he said. “Whether I bat or bowl, that doesn’t change.

“I don’t think like I’m an off-spinner. I think I can beat anything – beat the conditions, beat the batsmen.

“That comes from the fact that I want to be excellent rather than look towards short-term goals. I want to do more because I want to be the match-winner, not to prove a point to anyone.”

“My goal is to pick up at least five wickets every Test. That’s what the greats have done, be it a Shane Warne or an Anil Kumble.”