NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals spinner Ravichandran Ashwin admitted to struggling with form and fitness in the first half of the IPL 2024 season, but expressed relief and optimism after his team's crucial four-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Eliminator.
The win ended a four-match winless streak and secured RR's place in Qualifier 2.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Ashwin, 37, shared his personal challenges, including an abdominal injury and the transition from Test cricket to T20. He emphasized the commitment to his franchise despite these difficulties.
"In the first half, I felt my body was not moving too well. I had an abdomen injury as well. I am ageing. To come into the tournament from Test cricket was difficult, I needed some time to get that bowling rhythm. But once you have committed to your franchise, you want to go through with the season," Ashwin said.
Ashwin praised the team's bowling performance, highlighting Trent Boult's ability to generate swing and seam movement, which played a pivotal role in their victory. He also noted the favorable bowling conditions due to the lack of dew in the second innings.
"We hit the right lengths while bowling, and Trent Boult got some swing and seam movement. There wasn't much dew in the second innings, which helped," Ashwin commented.
Acknowledging the team's recent struggles and the absence of key player Jos Buttler, who returned to England for an international series, Ashwin expressed confidence that the win would boost their morale ahead of Qualifier 2.
"The team was not doing well in the past few games and we had lost our opener Jos Buttler. But this win will give us confidence ahead of the qualifier two clash," he added.
Ashwin also highlighted the team's blend of youthful energy and experienced players as their greatest strength, praising Shimron Hetmyer and Rovman Powell for their contributions.
1/9:IPL trophy eludes Virat Kohli after Bengaluru's loss to Rajasthan
<p>IPL trophy eludes Virat Kohli after Bengaluru's loss to Rajasthan</p>AFP
2/9:RCB Knocked Out
<p>Virat Kohli suffered more heartbreak as Royal Challengers Bengaluru were knocked out of the IPL after a four-wicket loss to Rajasthan Royals in Ahmedabad.</p>AFP
3/9:Heatwave Challenges
<p>Ahmedabad remained hot, with temperatures soaring above 43 degrees Celsius, and over 85,000 fans turned up for the eliminator despite the heat.</p>AFP
4/9:Do-or-die play-off
<p>Rajasthan restricted RCB to 172-8, a total they overhauled with six balls to spare in the do-or-die play-off at the world's biggest cricket stadium.</p>AFP
5/9:Bengaluru's IPL Title Wait
<p>Bengaluru and Kohli extend their wait for a first IPL title, as Rajasthan will face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the last play-off on Friday in Chennai.</p>AFP
6/9:Kolkata's Final Berth
<p>Kolkata made their fourth IPL final after they hammered Hyderabad in the first play-off on Tuesday in Ahmedabad's intense heat.</p>AFP
7/9:Sensational Bowling
<p>Trent Boult, with figures of 1-16, and Ravichandran Ashwin, 2-19, played pivotal roles in a disciplined bowling attack for Rajasthan.</p>AFP
8/9:Rajasthan's Chase
<p>Rajasthan stuttered in their chase after Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson departed, but Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer got their chase back on track.</p>AFP
9/9:RCB's Remarkable Journey
<p>Bengaluru's dream run ended after they rose from the bottom of the table to win six in a row and make the play-offs.</p>AFP"I think there were some exceptional shots from our boys to get that chase. Our greatest strength is the exuberance of youth and the experience we have to support that. Now that Hettie (Shimron Hetmyer) is back in, and Rovman got a few boundaries today as well. We've got Keshav sitting outside. We have the right momentum for this team going forward," he concluded.
As RR move forward in the IPL playoffs, Ashwin's return to form and the team's regained momentum offer a promising outlook for their upcoming challenges.
(With inputs from ANI)
