Deconstructing Ashwin: Cricket, carrom, an updated CV

Ravichandran Ashwin, who was dropped for the second Test against New Zealand, is preparing for the cricketing carnival that is the IPL. And he did so by sharing his updated CV, in case fans had forgotten his ample skills.

Here’s how Ashwin sees himself:

Nickname

“Log mujhe pyaar se baller bulate hai”

His actual nickname in the team, however, is just Ash. A fairly straightforward name. But Ashwin, proving that he’s learnt from his one-time teammate Chris ‘Universe Boss’ Gayle, has chosen a glitzier moniker for himself.

Description
“Mujhe dekh kar ladies sing, ‘Dekho jaa raha hai Chennai ka super king’”

Ashwin has switched franchises ahead of this year, and will be plying his trade for the Delhi Capitals. But his post shows that his heart still lies with the city of his birth, Chennai.

Skills
“Putting the break in bowling and beards”; “Sending opponents to the pavillion”

The fuzz rage is sweeping through the cricket team, with Virat Kohli and his band of bearded men all sporting facial hair. But Ashwin prefers not to join the band often.

Hobbies
“Knocking people out since 2010. Playing carrom, samjhe?”

Though it’s a cricket ball he has in his right hand, the grip is from the game of carrom. Having befuddled batsmen with the variations, Ashwin is happy enough to update his CV with this.

Interests
“Playing wicket games; spinning hearts; breaking records and my beard”

He created a buzz last year when he ‘Mankaded’ England’s Jos Buttler, and playing wicket games seems to be a subtle acknowledgement of that infamous incident.