"I am not assessing my performance at all" - R Ashwin admits moving past constant evaluation of matches 

Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes that he has moved past the phase of his career involving critical assessment of each game. Despite losing his spot in the white-ball squads, the 35-year-old is still an integral part of the Indian Test team

Ashwin was recently seen in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, representing his new franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR). Though he picked up 12 wickets over the course of the campaign, he lost his fifth straight IPL final. The Tamil Nadu-born player bowled a poor spell in the finals at Ahmedabad, conceding 32 runs off his three overs.

Speaking to PTI at the launch of Voot Select's 'Bandon Mein Tha Dum', Ashwin said:

"I am not assessing my performance at all. I am not in that phase of my life where I am thinking about what happened there and what happened here. Like I told you, I am living it by the day,"

Ashwin earned a recall to the limited-overs team for the 2021 T20 World Cup. Moreover, over the last two years, he has continued to play a vital role in India's success in red-ball cricket. Important contributions to the Men In Blue's famous series win along with a player of the series performance against England at home stand out.

Admitting that the COVID-19 era has been rather kind to him so far, Ashwin said:

"The last two years have been hard on a lot of people but it has been very very kind and good to me. So just enjoying my game. I don't know if it is evident enough on the ground or not. I am in totally in a very good space of mind,"

The veteran is next expected to be seen for India's upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) assignments against England and Bangladesh.

"We need to look at the larger picture" - R Ashwin on the elimination of bio-bubbles in cricket

International cricket and franchise cricket have likewise been played in a restricted environment over the course of the last two years. With COVID-19 receding slowly, discussions have been held on relaxing the restrictions. Some members have even been in bubbles for months at a stretch due to the packed cricketing calendar.

Speaking on cricket possibly seeing the end of the bio-bubble regime, the off-spinner said:

"More than anything else, we need to look at the larger picture. If we are able to get over the pandemic and things are getting back to normal, we all should be happy."

Team India's upcoming home series against South Africa is expected to be played without the presence of a strict bio-bubble.