Watch: Ravichandran Ashwin’s Maiden County Cricket Wicket

After being rested for the ongoing India vs Sri Lanka ODI series, Ravichandran Ashwin was set for another journey which involved Country cricket and pitches on which India will be playing against England, next year.

As expected, Indian fans kept a close eye on Ravichandran Ashwin’s County debut for Worcestershire to replace an injured fast bowler, John Hastings, for the remaining four games of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two season.

After his decent contribution with the bat (scoring 36 runs at No.6), the off spinner then struck his maiden county wicket by removing Gloucestershire’s Gareth Roderick with just a simple caught & bowled.

Watch Ravichandran Ashwin’s Maiden Country Wicket Here

Ravichandran Ashwin has almost 500 international wickets onto his name but right now, he is the only second player in the current Indian team, along with Cheteshwar Pujara, to be playing County cricket in England.

Keeping in mind his capabilities, it was more than expected that this was not the end of Ravichandran Ashwin’s long awaited county debut and guess what, we were right.

Gloucestershire didn’t even know what came in their way as from making a debut, Ravichandran Ashwin went on registering a 3-wicket haul, leaving the opposition haywire.

It sure is a new journey for Ravichandran Ashwin and it has started with a bang, but the upcoming weeks will definitely be crucial for the Indian all-rounder as he grooms himself while testing English conditions.

Considering the fact that Virat Kohli & Co. will play a Test series next year, here, this can turn out to be the best preparation for the 30-year-old. The last time India toured England, Ravichandran Ashwin, despite being India’s leading spinner in the format, failed to impress and featured in just the final two matches of the series.

But Ravichandran Ashwin is here to learn and not for any financial reward. The Indian off-spinner wants to improve while learning to bowl in unfamiliar conditions (having played only two Tests in England) and he will be looking to return next year for playing a key role in helping India register a victory against England in a Test series.

Moreover, while there have been doubts over Ravichandran Ashwin’s continuity in the limited overs formats, playing County Cricket might work out in his favor and also help the selectors take a call on his role, especially considering the 2019 World Cup.