Every morning, the newspaper read Ashwin should get a game: Ravichandran Ashwin recalls 2011 World Cup

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recalled the time when the Indian cricket team was playing in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. Ashwin had played only a few ODI games before the World Cup but MS Dhoni backed him and the off-spinner made the most of whatever opportunities came his way.

In a live chat with Indranil Basu on Sportskeeda Cricket's Facebook Page, Ravichandran Ashwin shared the details of his mindset during the 2011 ICC Cricket World.

The Tamil Nadu-based player had earned a spot in the Indian squad. However, the team management did not use him in the first few matches.

After the Indian cricket team lost to South Africa at Nagpur, MS Dhoni included Ravichandran Ashwin in the playing XI for the match against West Indies. The off-spinner also played the high-profile quarterfinal against Australia at Ahmedabad. He opened the bowling in both games and ended up picking four wickets.

Everybody had said that I should play and if I play, India will win the World Cup: Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Shane Watson in the quarterfinal match

Ravichandran Ashwin did not feature in the playing XI until India's match against West Indies. Thanks to his brilliant record in white-ball cricket though, the fans wanted the team management to give him an opportunity. The off-spinner recalled those days and said:

"I remember that World Cup very very clearly. Every morning I woke up, I wasn't playing in the XI. I hadn't played a lot of one-day cricket also leading into the World Cup. I just played a few games but I had performed quite very well, and everyday I woke up, the paper would read Ashwin should get a game, Ashwin should be playing so and so forth," Ravichandran Aswhin recalled.

"We had Bhajjupa (Harbhajan Singh) who was playing in the XI as well. So, I was finding it very difficult to balance. For me, it was like, I would like to be playing, I want to be playing. Every cricketer wants to play, but here I am, being told that I must play. So, delivery of the fact saying, Ashwin will play and he will help the team win, sort of told me, if I have to play I need to win the World Cup for the country because everybody had said that I should play and if I play, India will win the World Cup," he continued.

Ravichandran Ashwin mentioned that he was looking forward to an opportunity. However, at the same time, he knew that playing for India in the World Cup would place enormous expectations on his shoulders.

Lastly, Ashwin was grateful that he was a part of that champion side and he concluded by describing the 2011 World Cup as one of the best events he has ever played.