Over the Ravichandran Ashwin has been on the other side of the microphone, answering the questions of the interviewer but Thursday (August 3) was a little bit different as India’s ace spinner not only became the interviewer but also interviewed a very special person who was none other than his wife Prithi.
Ashwin has been one of India’s biggest match-winners in the last couple of years or so. In the last season, India’s spin spearhead took a staggering 81 wickets in only 13 Tests and played an important part in the series-opener against Sri Lanka too at Galle which was his 50th Test. The 30-year old took 4 wickets which not only helped him to regain the second spot in ICC rankings for Test bowlers but also helped India India to beat Sri Lanka by 304 runs.
And while the Tamil Nadu star has been a brilliant bowler for India over the last few years, he also showed that he can be a good interviewer. Ranging from questions on his career to how it feels travelling with him, the off-spinner asked several questions to his wife.
Excerpts:
Ashwin: How your experience was while watching the Test match from Galle fort ?
Prithi:
Travelling along with you has been very eye opening in terms of experiences that I go through while watching a match. The Galle was always on the list of things to do. While the game progressed, we figured that we will not have much time to experience it as the part of local culture. So I and couple of friends climbed up the fort and we did manage to see your couple of wickets from there. The whole aura of watching from the fort was pretty special. Top five cricket watching experiences, I think.
Ashwin: How has motherhood changed you as a traveller?
Prithi:
I do think it has changed a lot. You have to carry two bundles wherever you have to go. Logistically, it’s a little challenging. Earlier, it was much easier. We get tired of watching a match but afterwards, it becomes easier, to step out and explore the country where we go. With children, it’s little more challenging, but once they grow up a little more, it should be easy.
Ashwin: Which of these cricket destinations where we have been, you have really enjoyed and why?
Prithi:
MCG was the favourite. In terms of me enjoying a Test match, it was a different experience because I was not a Test match person. MCG was huge, the culture, the way Test cricket was enjoyed there was amazing. 2011 was a big tour for me in terms of learning what Test cricket. But in terms of grounds and venues, I think after Dharamsala, MCG and the grounds in New Zealand.
Ashwin: She told me that she likes to watch Test cricket more than everything else. What is all that about?
Prithi:
I like the pace of a Test match at which the match happens. I’m somehow impatient about the limited overs format. Test match watching in England is a completely different scene because of tea time.
Ashwin: Who do you think was my first wicket?
Prithi:
Darren Bravo.
Ashwin: Who was my 200th wickets?
Prithi:
No idea.
Ashwin: Who do you think was my 250th wicket?
Prithi:
Mushfiqur Rahim.
Ashwin: What was very special in World Cup in 2015?
Prithi:
I was about six months pregnant when I flew for 2015 World Cup so we got a special scan done where you can get features of the baby and the biggest highlight of this was that she was not going to have his nose. So I was really looking forward.