Ashwin reveals how an angry MS Dhoni put Sreesanth in his place – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Ravichandran Ashwin’s autobiography, ‘I Have The Streets – A Kutty Cricket Story,’ is a captivating read that spans his journey from his early years to India’s momentous World Cup victory in 2011.

The 184-page book is filled with amusing anecdotes and occasional insights into Ashwin’s innovative mindset, always eager to explore unconventional approaches.

The book is co-authored by Sidharth Monga and published by Penguin Random House.

One of the most gripping stories in the book revolves around an incident in Port Elizabeth (now known as Gqeberha) in 2010, during a limited overs match against South Africa.

An infuriated Mahendra Singh Dhoni instructed Ashwin to tell team manager Ranjib Biswal to book S Sreesanth on the next available flight back home.

The reason behind this decision was Sreesanth’s repeated disregard for the skipper’s calls to sit in the dug-out with other reserves for a massage in the dressing room.

The book also delves into Ashwin’s ‘Mankading’ debut as a teenager and WV Raman’s efforts in shaping him into a formidable off-spinner.

While the autobiography steers clear of sob stories and excessive dramatization, it offers readers an engaging and insightful look into the life and career of one of India’s most talented cricketers.

“I take water. MS drinks. Two overs later, I take more. He drinks more. Then again. I have carried more water for MS than anyone else. When I go in for the drink break, MS asks, ‘Where is Sree?’ PTI quoted Ashwin’s narration.

“It is possibly the most neutral way of asking a question. It is also the MS way. You just can’t make out why he is asking. I don’t know what to tell him because I don’t know what it might lead to. MS insists on finding out.

“I tell him Sree is upstairs in the dressing room. He tells me to tell Sree he has to come down and sit with the other reserves.”

“Anyway, on the way back from the drinks break, I am wondering how, while keeping wicket in an international match, MS even noticed that Sree was not sitting downstairs. I go back and tell M. Vijay, who is in his cooling glasses with his feet up on another chair, ‘Hey, Monk, MS asked Sree to come down.”

Monk tells me, ‘Hey, you go and tell him. Don’t expect me to do that.’

“……I go into the changing room and I tell him, ‘Sree, MS wants you to come down.’ ‘Why? You can’t carry water?’ responds Sreesanth.

“I tell him I didn’t say anything. He said he wants you to come down. He said the reserves should be together for the game. Sree says, ‘Okay, you go. I will come.’

“I return to my drink duties. The next time I have to go with a helmet. This time I can sense MS is angry, and I have never seen him lose his cool. ‘Where is Sree? What is he doing?’ MS asks sternly.”

“I tell him he is getting a massage. MS doesn’t say anything. In the next over, he calls me to return the helmet. He is calm now. While giving me the helmet, he says, ‘Do one thing. Go to Ranjib sir. Tell him Sree is not interested in being here. Ask him to book his ticket for tomorrow so he can go back to India.”

“I am stunned. I’m not sure what to say. I am just staring at his face. MS goes, ‘What happened? You don’t understand English either now?’

Ashwin humorously described the effectiveness of the solution, stating that ‘it worked like magic’.

“Sree quickly gets up and gets dressed. Not only that, but now he assumes the drinks duties. The next time MS needs a drink, Sree makes sure he charges out. Instead of taking the drink from him, MS motions for me to come over. ‘Did you tell Ranjib sir or not?’ he asks me.

“MS and Sree sort it out later, but during that period I am caught in a situation in which I would ideally be laughing but am too scared to do so,” wrote the second Indian bowler to take 500 wickets in Tests.

Ashwin, known for his strong belief in adhering to the rules and maintaining fairness in the sport, shared a memory from his childhood. He recalled an incident during a school cricket match when his father, Ravichandran, instructed him to dismiss the non-striker for gaining an unfair advantage by leaving the crease prematurely.

“At twelve, I am bowling during a tense climax for Rao’s Cricket Clinic, our PSBB school coach Chandrasekhar Rao’s team, against DAV Gopalapuram at the RKM Cricket Ground, when I see Appa gesture from behind the striker that the non-striker is stealing ground even before I let the ball go.

“He wants me to Mankad him. I do it. No one thinks it’s weird, and there are no protests. The coach just doesn’t speak to Appa for a week.”

The book also highlights the deep respect for former India opener WV Raman, who is highly esteemed in Indian cricket for his technical expertise.

“Raman and I are made for each other. For the life of me, I can’t keep repeating the same thing. And Raman the coach comes up with something every day to help me keep discovering spin bowling to its fullest,” he wrote elaborating how Raman improved his technique by straightening his run-up from an angular one, which helped correct his alignment and enhanced his overall performance.