DHARAMSALA: The year was 2007.
Tamil Nadu were playing Karnataka at the Port Trust Golden Jubilee Stadium, Visakhapatnam in a U-22 Col. CK Nayudu Trophy match. Karnataka needed 80 runs on the final day. R Ashwin, at that point, was still a middle-order batter dabbling with some off-spin. He had bowled 55.4 overs in the first innings to take five wickets. On the final day, despite the small target, he was not ready to let go. He bowled 9.3 overs for four wickets — CM Gautam, R Jonathan, G Dhiman and AA Verma — making Karnataka work for runs.
While they would eventually get across the line with five wickets to spare, on that evening, Ashwin was in a shared auto with his teammate KB Arun Karthik, taking a ride along the Vizag beach. “I was telling him ‘macha (buddy), I think you will play for India soon. This spell, not many will know but the way you bowled your heart out, it could have been easy to let go, but the way you fought, the attitude to try and win come what may… that will take you to Indian team’. Ashwin seemingly said, ‘If I play for India, my first treat is for you, macha’.”
It may be 17 years removed from that moment but Arun Karthik still remembers it like yesterday. “I’m still waiting for my treat,” he laughs.
On Thursday morning, when the fifth and final Test against England begins, R Ashwin will feature in his 100th Test. He will be only the 14th Indian and first from Tamil Nadu to get to the milestone. While Arun Karthik may still be waiting for his treat, watching Ashwin evolve into one of India’s greatest red-ball match winners has been a treat in itself.
