Cheteshwar Pujara, the seasoned Indian batter, has lauded the fitness levels of Ravichandran Ashwin, describing him as one of the fittest cricketers he has known. As Ashwin prepares to play his 100th Test match in Dharamsala, Pujara highlighted the spinner’s remarkable endurance and stamina, particularly when bowling long spells.
“Bowling fitness is the most important thing in the longer format, and Ash is probably one of the fittest I have known. If he ends up bowling 30, 35, 40 overs in a day, his body might be a little fatigued, but he still has the stamina to carry on,” Pujara wrote in his column on ESPNCricinfo.
Ashwin, who made his Test debut in 2011, has been a pivotal figure in India’s red-ball cricket success over the past decade. Despite facing scrutiny on occasions for his efforts in the field, the 37-year-old off-spinner recently achieved the milestone of 500 Test wickets during the third Test match against England in Rajkot.
Although Ashwin has not met expectations in the ongoing series, his impressive performance in Ranchi, where he took a fifer in the second innings, serves as a morale booster ahead of his landmark 100th Test. Pujara, who has shared many cricketing moments with Ashwin, also praised their friendship, highlighting their discussions about the game and Ashwin’s intellectual curiosity and love for learning.
“We became close friends by talking cricket. Most times we are on the same side, but you can never win an argument against him. He is very smart, and his vocabulary is probably among the best in the cricketing fraternity. I wish I had his incredible memory. That is probably because he has a mind that is always ticking. Away from cricket, he is a voracious reader, enjoys chess online, and is open to learning new things,” added Pujara.
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