"Most people who have bowled doosra have had issues with the action" - Ravichandran Ashwin on why he does not explore the variation

Team India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin, despite his various variations across formats over the years, has never been a pioneer of the 'doosra'. Famous off-spinners like Saqlian Mushtaq and Harbhajan Singh had the delivery in their arsenal in both white-ball and Test cricket, but the same cannot be said for Ashwin.

Ashwin is known for varying his release points as well as the pace along with his variations like the top spin, carrom ball, slider, and even wrist spin at times.

Recalling that he never fell into the hype surrounding the doosra when he started out, primarily due to the issue it brings out in the bowling action, Ashwin said in an interview with the Times of India:

"Bowling a legal doosra is not possible, right? Most people who have bowled doosra have had issues with the action. For me, I had a slight hyper extension in my action and I did not want to try it.When we talk of bowling, we talk of variation, doosra, etc. But what bowler needs is the knack of picking wickets."

Ashwin largely brings his variations in limited-overs cricket. At times, his decision to overuse such deliveries has been criticized by fans and pundits alike. He admits that although he tends to experiment too much, his clarity remains absolutely intact.

"The perception around me trying to experiment too much happened when I developed a carrom ball early on and was trying variations in the IPL. But I was always very clear in my head what I wanted to do, what to bowl in which format," Ashwin added.

In Tests, the traditional off-spin delivery has been all that Ashwin has required to wreak havoc, particularly on home soil.

---

"I believe accuracy is the most important thing" - Ravichandran Ashwin

Off-spinners have been a dying breed over the years, especially in white-ball cricket with the rise of leg-spinners and their effective variations.

Valuing accuracy over everything else when it comes to spinners, Ashwin said:

'I believe accuracy is the most important thing. Whether I am bowling the offpsinner, sidespinner, or whatever, the ball must fall in the right place, where I want it to."

Further stating that accuracy will remain a spinner's most valuable trait, he added:

"Formats will change, a good ball in Test cricket may not be a good ball in T20 cricket, but even 10 years down the line, the most sought-after skill will be the ability to land the ball where you want to land it."

The off-spinner has not been in Team India's white-ball team since the 2022 T20 World Cup. He is still an effective short-format bowler, as seen through his performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL).