The 33-year-old off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had a successful series in the recently concluded three-match home Test series against South Africa. After completing the whitewash in this Test series, Ashwin is now getting ready for the domestic cricket. Ashwin will now serve Tamil Nadu in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019/20 semi-final. In fact, he will begin this semi-final journey in less than 24 hours of the conclusion of Ranchi Test.
The recently concluded home Test series against South Africa was Ashwin’s first Test series in 2019. Before this Test series, Ashwin last played for the national team in last December during the Adelaide Test. In that period, Ashwin was struggling with his fitness and also was inconsistent with the ball.
In this year, Ashwin featured in the English County Championship Division One where he served in Nottinghamshire. Though his team totally disappointed in that tournament as they relegated to Division Two, Ashwin performed remarkably well. He played only five matches but took 34 wickets and finished as the second most wicket-taker for his team. Ashwin gained massive confidence from that tournament.
Ravichandran Ashwin was the leading wicket-taker in the Freedom Trophy 2019/20
Finally, he earned a spot in the Test playing XI during the Visakhapatnam Test, the opening Test against South Africa. While the other bowlers were struggling to pick up wickets during South Africa’s first innings, Ashwin bagged seven wickets in that innings. He finished that Test after picking up a total of eight wickets.
In the second Test at Pune, Ashwin took four and two wickets respectively. He was wicketless during South Africa’s first innings in the recently concluded Ranchi Test but managed to claim one wicket during the visitors’ following-on innings.
Despite not taking many wickets in the Ranchi Test, Ashwin finished this Test series as the leading wicket-taker. The Indian off-spinner scalped 15 wickets in three matches of this series with an average of 25.26.
The series finished early on Tuesday (22nd October), while Wednesday (23rd October) would be the fifth or final day of the Ranchi Test.
However, Ashwin is not in the resting mood. While he got an off-day, he wants to utilise it for his domestic side Tamil Nadu. On Wednesday, Tamil Nadu will play against Gujarat in the semi-final of Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019/20.
Through his official Twitter account, Ashwin has announced his upcoming plan.
He posted, “Freedom series done and dusted, off to Bengaluru now for the #VijayHazareTrophy. Stay committed to the course and the course will stay with you. ☺️”
Meanwhile, another Indian Test member, Mayank Agarwal will also feature in the semi-final of Vijay Hazare Trophy 2019/20. On Wednesday, while Karnataka will face Chhattisgarh in the other semi-final, Agarwal will play for his domestic side Karnataka.