Third test: Why wasn’t Ashwin in it to win it?

It was a great advertisement for Test cricket – a close match that went right down to the wire. And it came down to this – two runs needed off two balls to win the match and clinch the series with a 3-0 scoreline.

Everyone watching was on the edge of their seats. The Wankhede crowd was chanting Ravinchandran Ashwin’s name, the young off-spinner was on strike, Fidel Edwards was the bowler… two balls, two runs, two wickets in hand – a simple equation.

So how did Ashwin respond? In a manner that no one expected.

He defended and didn’t even think about a single. His explanation later was that he wanted to make the match safe. But really – at such a crucial juncture, with the series already won… he was thinking about safety?

If this was the much-maligned Twenty20 or even a one-day international – think, just for a second, what would Ashwin have done? He would’ve gone for his shots… right? The only other possibilities that would have then existed in a limited over match at that point of time would have been a tie or a loss. No draw. No safety first approach. See it, hit it, win it or lose it.

For all of the fifth day, India played to win. Then what possessed Ashwin to think about safety at the last moment?

The series was already won. And there would have been no dishonour in even losing this match. Indeed, if Ashwin had gone for the win, it would have only reinforced the thought that there is indeed a generational change happening in Indian cricket.

Some might say that Ashwin did the right thing. But the point is that sometimes to win, you have to take risks. If you step all the way to the edge and then don’t jump, it’s a bummer right? You’ve raised hopes, you’ve got them in, you have the West Indies at your mercy and then you go for safety.

It’s tough to criticise Ashwin on the back of what he’s achieved in this series – 121 runs @ 40.33 and 22 wickets @ 22.90 – but he came up short in the final moments of this crazy game. This was a match that was destined to be called ‘Ashwin’s match’ but now it will forever be known as the match where Ashwin chose safety over glory.

There are times in sport when you just have to listen to your heart. You have to believe that it’s possible even when you mind is telling you otherwise. That’s what VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid did in Kolkata in 2001 and it paid off – their legend is still alive.

R Ashwin’s still very young, his career is just beginning and before he’s through with the game, he will probably find himself in a similar position once again. One can only hope that then, at least then, he goes for glory and nothing else.