Visualizing success - the Ashwin way

During the first over on day two, Dean Elgar got down on one knee and smashed Amit Mishra to the mid-wicket boundary. It was a safe shot to play with the turn. Elgar is known to play those shots, as acknowledged by Claude Henderson, South Africa's spin bowling coach, later in the day. He is a batsman who loves taking the aerial route against spinners.

Heard of the Achilles heel problem? Elgar will know that today. He tried the same shot against Ashwin later in the day but top-edged it to point.

"This is not Johannesburg," Ashwin told him after getting him out. "I saw it coming. I knew he would play that shot," said Ashwin.

The second was not a statement made in haste. Ashwin is currently enjoying that little space famously known as the 'zone' in cricket. Batsmen talk about it more often than bowlers but it holds good for all facets in cricket.

Visualisation is something that is coming on well for Ashwin in his preparations. "I was watching a lot of off-spin videos on TV, etc. That does help. It is very good to visualise," said Ashwin. He mentioned the same process in the context of Elgar's dismissal as well. "I have seen him bat, had a wonderful time in watching him on YouTube last night."

Preparing the mind, putting yourself in a good space aren't quantifiable factors. The preparation helps boosting confidence for sure. It is something that Ashwin has been able to do consistently in recent times.

Elgar's was the first of the five wickets that Ashwin picked today. The fifth helped him earn another milestone - the fastest Indian to 150 Test wickets. He was also the quickest to the 100 mark as well. And quite rightly he stands as India's spearhead, but it has not been a breeze.

"I think in the past there have been times when I have thought that I will get wickets quickly if I spin one across and one straight, but that's not how Test cricket goes," he explains. "I think all the mistakes I was prepared to make were the reasons where I am right now. I hope I make more mistakes and become better in a year or so," he states.

When Ashwin made those said mistakes it cost him a spot in the Test side. First Jadeja was prefered over him in South Africa and later, when Kohli captained for the first time, he picked Karn Sharma ahead of Ashwin. Within a year of taking over full time as captain, Kohli now reckons that Ashwin is one of the top two-three spinners in the world.

As with any successful career, Ashwin's too has had its fair share of detractors. His rise through IPL might not suit the longer format, his use of variations was seen as excessive and a lot more along the line. A few fair, a lot uncalled for and some plainly due to ignorance.

"I was not bogged down by the people who were criticising me. I think critics play a very, very important role. I've already mentioned that. If the critics don't pull you back or push you forward, it's very difficult to know what is right and what is wrong. I believe that making mistakes on my own terms is very very important. Because the career is mine," he says with a smile and adds cheekily, "Even when I'm speaking, people can border me on the line of arrogance, which is also on my own terms."

The manner in which his statements are perceived has also a lot to do with the veracity of his achievements. That is how the game plays out. On various occasions, Ashwin has mentioned that he wants to be the leader of the Indian attack and be the premier bowler for India. Such statements rendered him arrogant for a few, but for Ashwin it might have been merely visualising his dreams.

Sri Lanka, New Zealand, West Indies and Australia have all seen the best of Ashwin in India. South Africa was seen as an acid test for him but somewhere in the lead-up, the perception around Ashwin changed. From 'can he?' to 'only he can'. It is a perception change that Ashwin has striven to achieve, albeit not intentionally. Merely through the weight of his achievements.

There will be more challenges for Ashwin and India. He's done extremely well in handling the transition that sees him at the top spot right now. Doubts have already turned into expectations and it brings with it another set of challenges. It puts the achievement of 'quickest to 150' into the spotlight again. What it does reveal is consistency, through various challenges. India will want nothing more than the same from him.