For home matches (i.e in India), previously it had happened just twice: vs England at Chennai 2016, and vs South Africa at Ranchi in 2019.
Just twice...in 13 previous years.
Did the alert and self-conscious Ashwin miss this stat? Very likely not. A big red flag it was..and it might have been a dent to the self-esteem of a proud cricketer.
Past 38 of years in age....largely unused in Australia and SENA tests.. India not playing Tests at home till late 2025.
All these might also have played in his mind, and settled down as additions to his bag of red flags.
If he needed a really good reason to trust himself and wait for one more creaking year of inaction deep into age 39 for a last hurrah of home redemption, it had to be via his star turns in Australia..a few match/ series turning hands. If not as the main event himself, then at least as old Mufasa supporting Bumrah's Simba.
I guess his moment of reckoning came at Adelaide. After a bewildering very late induction in the innings by his captain Rohit, Ashwin was bowling decently and having a battle of wits with Travis Head. The latter was in his 70s when he skied a catch to Siraj off his bowling. It happened at a crucial stage of the match.
Siraj fluffed the chance and Head continued. He played a decisive knock that buried India. Ashwin returned decent but unimpressive figures in that innings (only 1 wicket). He did not get a second innings of bowling, thanks to his inept batting colleagues and then got dropped for Jadeja in the next match at Brisbane.
Not exactly what Ashwin was looking for as a signal to hang on. It was inevitable. True to his nature, Ravichandran Ashwin the champion did not hang around for something he could not himself believe in.
Legend.
