“I am not a man of tattoos, but the tattoo is well inside by heart” - Ravichandran Ashwin defines what playing for India means to him

Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has stated that representing the country is very close to his heart and that for him Indian cricket is the highest prerogative. Ashwin added that he always looks to give his best for the team and contribute in whatever way possible.

The 37-year-old was recently recalled to the Indian team for the ODI series against Australia at home, which begins on Friday, September 22. Ashwin last represented India in a one-dayer in January 2022 but has been handed a comeback with Axar Patel suffering a quadricep injury during the Asia Cup.

In an interview posted on bcci.tv, Ashwin opened up on what playing for India means to him.

“For me, Indian cricket is the highest prerogative. To put my best foot forward and be in a state of contribution and obviously put myself in a situation, where I can turn the game on this head, that’s every cricketer’s dream, so push comes to shove when the game starts. For me, Indian cricket is very close to my heart. I am not a man of tattoos, but the tattoo is well inside by heart,” he said.

Ashwin has been in and out of the team in white-ball formats and has also been benched a number of times in Test cricket despite his excellent record in red-ball cricket. The off-spinner, however, asserted that irrespective of whether or not he is playing, he always wants the best for Indian cricket.

“Whatever it is, I am going to be with the team, not with the team, wherever it is, I will be playing with good vibes, watching with good vibes. If at all I get a chance to contribute and play, I’ll be happy to do that,” the seasoned cricketer commented.

Ashwin’s ODI recall is significant considering the World Cup is just a few days away. The 37-year-old was also picked for the T20 World Cup last year.

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“They said, there could be a chance, just stay ready” - Ashwin reflects on ODI recall

Making comebacks is not something new for Ashwin. He is a veteran at that game as well. On what he expects from his latest recall, the Tamil Nadu cricketer said that he just wants to enjoy the opportunity.

“It’s a great opportunity for me, like I have always said over the last three-four years. It’s not about what I want to achieve in these opportunities. I want to enjoy myself and give myself the best chance to enjoy it,” Ashwin said.

He admitted that the team management had kept him in the loop and asked him to stay prepared in case the opportunity came about.

“When I went back from West Indies, I was just taking a break. I played a few club games. The team management has kept me in the loop. They said, there could be a chance, just stay ready, just in case. I was just touching base with my fitness, started bowling a few sessions," he said.

“In general, I have kept expectations largely from myself. If you have to deal with expectations one has about themselves in terms of the pride I hold on my performance, the pride I want to hold on with respect to my practice, not leaving any stone unturned. But whereas you have expectations from things that you can’t control, it’s always going to leave you with a bit of disappointment because it’s not in your hands [sic],” the 37-year-old added.

On whether he has any specific goals heading into the ODI series against Australia, Ashwin responded that he wants to bring something different to the table.

“Something different from my perspective. I have been working on some angles. One-day is not just about spin anymore. It’s the angles that you can present at the crease - the depth of the crease, usage of that. I am trying to put myself in a zone of discomfort to try and push barriers,” the experienced off-spinner concluded.

Ashwin has featured in 113 ODIs so far, claiming 151 wickets at an average of 33.49 and an economy rate of 4.94.