What makes a bowler truly smart? Is it the ability to outthink batters, read the game or execute plans under pressure? Ravichandran Ashwin had an interesting answer when Aakash Chopra asked him to name the smartest cricketing brain in India’s dressing room. But his quickfire responses revealed much more about the players who impressed him throughout his career. 

When Aakash Chopra asked Ashwin on his podcast ‘Baith and Bol ’ to name the smartest cricketing brain in the Indian dressing room, the former spinner did not take much time to answer.

He immediately picked Jasprit Bumrah.

“Bumrah. Jassi. Jassi.”

Chopra then asked him to explain his choice. Ashwin pointed out three qualities that make Bumrah stand out. 

Ashwin explained, “He reads batters very well, has a good understanding of his own plans and also executes them well.” 

This answer offers an interesting look at how Ashwin sees Bumrah. The Indian pacer is famous for his unusual bowling action, control and ability to perform under pressure. However, Ashwin highlighted something beyond his bowling skills. He pointed towards Bumrah’s cricketing intelligence.

Reading a batter is an important part of bowling at the highest level. A bowler must understand what the batter wants to do and change his plans accordingly. Ashwin believes Bumrah does this better than most.

The Batter Ashwin Could Never Quite Solve

Ashwin has bowled against some of the biggest names in world cricket. But when Chopra asked him to name a batter he could never quite solve, the former spinner picked England’s Joe Root.

Ashwin said, “I really like Joe Root.”

He then explained what impressed him about the English batter.

“He gets into very good positions, both on the front foot and the back foot.” 

Root’s ability to get into strong positions against both front-foot and back-foot deliveries made him difficult to bowl to. 

Ashwin Would Love to Take This Batter’s Wicket Again

Chopra next asked Ashwin which batter’s wicket he would love to take one more time.

The spinner picked former South African batter Hashim Amla. He also recalled dismissing Amla during the World Cup.

Ashwin said, “Hashim Amla. I have always liked getting Hashim Amla out.” 

He also remembered that particular dismissal. Ashwin went around the wicket and hit Amla’s off stump.

It was not a Test match wicket, but it clearly stayed in the former spinner’s memory. Even after taking so many wickets in his career, this dismissal remained special to him.

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Sunil Narine Was Ashwin’s Toughest T20 Challenge

Ashwin has faced many challenging batters in T20 cricket. However, when Chopra asked him about the toughest batter to bowl to, he picked Sunil Narine.

The former India spinner particularly remembered bowling to Narine during the powerplay. Narine’s ability to attack even back-of-length deliveries made things difficult for him.

Ashwin explained, “I always found Sunil Narine difficult to bowl to in T20 cricket.” 

He further added, “I used to bowl to him in the powerplay. The way he swings his bat, he plays those deliveries very well. He can even hit a back-of-length ball off the back foot.” 

Ashwin also admitted that Narine was a powerful hitter of spin.

“He was a brilliant hitter of spin, and I got hit quite a lot while bowling to him in the powerplay.” 

Narine’s aggressive approach clearly gave Ashwin plenty of trouble. Even a quality spinner like him found it difficult to control the West Indian during the powerplay.

Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara Would Be His Choices to Survive a Test’s Final Over

The quickfire round then moved towards Test cricket.

Chopra asked Ashwin which batter he would trust to survive the final over of a Test match, regardless of the generation.

Ashwin named two of his former teammates: Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara.

He answered, “Rahul Dravid. Jam. Rahul Dravid, Cheteshwar Pujara. Oh, Pooji!” 

Both players built their reputations through patience, concentration and their ability to bat for long periods. Ashwin’s choices showed the kind of temperament he would trust in a difficult final-over situation.

When a Test match reaches its final moments, a batter needs more than just good technique. He also needs patience and a calm mind. Dravid and Pujara have shown these qualities throughout their careers.

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Any Spinner Could Defend 10 Runs on a Rank Turner

Chopra also gave Ashwin a bowling challenge. He asked him whom he would choose to defend 10 runs on a rank turner.

Instead of picking a particular bowler, Ashwin gave a simple answer.

“Any spinner, yaar!” 

His answer suggested that a pitch offering plenty of turn could make life difficult for any batter. On such a surface, even a good spinner would have a strong chance of defending a small target.

It was a short but confident response from someone who knows exactly how much trouble a turning pitch can cause.

Ashwin Wants to Change a DRS Rule

The final interesting question concerned cricket’s rules. Chopra asked Ashwin which rule he would change if he had the opportunity.

Ashwin pointed towards a DRS-related rule under which teams do not get certain runs in specific situations, even when batters complete them.

He said, “They should change the rule under DRS where they disallow those runs.” 

Ashwin also suggested that cricket often waits for a major controversy before making changes to its rules.

He explained, “They will only change it when something happens in a World Cup final, probably on the last ball.” 

His answer showed his analytical side. Even beyond individual performances, Ashwin continues to look at cricket’s rules and question decisions that can affect the game.

Ashwin’s answers covered different sides of his cricketing experience. He admired Joe Root’s batting positions, remembered Hashim Amla’s wicket and explained why Sunil Narine was so difficult to bowl to.

But his choice of Bumrah as India’s smartest cricketing brain stood out the most.

Rather than focusing on reputation or experience, Ashwin highlighted the pacer’s ability to read batters, make plans and execute them.

It was a short answer, but it revealed what a champion spinner values most in another cricketer. For Ashwin, Bumrah’s biggest strength is not just how he bowls, but also how well he thinks about the game.

What are your thoughts? Do you agree with R Ashwin? Let us know in the comments. 

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