‘That helped me make a comeback’ - R Ashwin credits RR, PBKS for his career growth

Legendary India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently opened up about the lessons he learned during his captaincy stint with Punjab Kings (PBKS )and how his time with Rajasthan Royals (RR) played a crucial role in his return to the national T20I setup after a significant gap. 

The veteran spinner reflected on his leadership journey with Punjab, where he led the side in 28 matches across two seasons, winning 12 and losing 16. Although he couldn’t take the team to the playoffs, Ashwin described the phase as a significant learning curve during a crucial period of his international career.

“When Punjab picked me in 2018, I knew I was moving on. My time had come to take on leadership. As an international cricketer, I had progressed; I was the ICC Cricketer of the Year in 2016. As a person, you look for growth. Even around the 2014 season, during retention talks, a couple of teams had approached me about leading them, but I could not take that opportunity then. Rajasthan and Punjab both had the intent of making me captain. I went to Punjab. I spent two years there and honestly, gave it everything,” he said on JioStar.

The seasoned campaigner further highlighted how his stint with Punjab helped him grow not just as a cricketer but also as a leader, especially in terms of managing relationships within a team environment.

“I went to Punjab in 2018, and then to Delhi. I had a good time at Delhi as well, but Punjab made me stronger and more capable. I think I became a better cricketer after 2020 because of that phase. I learned a lot about building relationships, something that is essential if you want to be a leader, a captain, or a coach. It is about making a player feel like a million dollars, and I learned that in Punjab,” he continued.

Ashwin also credited his three-year stint with Rajasthan from 2022 to 2024 for reviving his T20I career, praising the franchise for utilising him effectively, even though missing out on a title remains a regret.

“COVID struck, but then RR bid for me. I spent three years there, and that stint helped me make a comeback to the Indian team. The way RR utilised me was first-class, and I enjoyed my cricket there like nowhere else, not even during my Under-19 or Under-22 days with Tamil Nadu. Those three years at RR were special. My only small regret is that I could not win a title with RR. We reached a final and a Qualifier 2 but could not go all the way. One year, we came close to qualifying but missed out. That was one small regret,” he signed off.

During his time with Rajasthan, Ashwin picked up 35 wickets in 45 matches at an average of 38.22, with best figures of 3/17. He also contributed with the bat, scoring 344 runs in 31 innings at a strike rate of over 132, including a half-century.