'I was envious': R Ashwin makes honest confession about Ravindra Jadeja

NewsSports NewsCricket News'I was envious': R Ashwin makes honest confession about Ravindra Jadeja 'I was envious': R Ashwin makes honest confession about Ravindra Jadeja Edited by Pranav Shukla / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Nov 14, 2026, 18:45 IST Ravichandran Ashwin has offered an interesting account of what made his bowling partnership with Ravindra Jadeja so successful, revealing how he learned to use the left-arm spinner's strengths and limitations to his advantage.

Ashwin described Jadeja as an exceptionally gifted cricketer but suggested that the all-rounder initially lacked the instinct to consistently find ways to dismiss batters.The two formed one of the most successful spin combinations in Test cricket, sharing the field in 58 matches and accounting for 587 wickets.

While Ashwin claimed 317 of those dismissals, Jadeja contributed 270. According to the former India off-spinner, their success stemmed from understanding each other's contrasting approaches and making the most of them.

Watch Speaking on Aakash Chopra's podcast show, Baith & Bol, Ashwin explained that he understood Jadeja's game well enough to help him operate within his strengths rather than push him towards something that did not come naturally to him.“I know his limitations well," Ashwin said.

“Very few can bring him out of those limitations. I was one of them. His biggest strength: naturally gifted. If he has a bad day, you just tell him your effort is fine; tomorrow will be better. His action was simple, release point simple, tappa so good—he doesn’t have to think.

He didn’t know how to dismiss batsmen—I’m saying he absolutely didn’t know. But his skill to choke batsmen was intertwined with his skill. “A person who doesn’t experiment in the nets, but if you give him the ball, he’ll land on tappa, good speed, rotation, takes catches in the field, runs like a bullet, moves like silk, connects every second direct hit, has every batting shot, power, skill, defense against spinners, developed against fast bowlers, scored 300 in Ranji Trophy.

It was all natural! However much we’d work hard to get close to him, his skill was still bigger. I often thought if I had that skill, I’d rule the world. But it is what it is. He was so skillful that he didn’t have to think much." Get the latest Sports News and Live updates.

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