Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed that sharp criticism from Sanjay Manjrekar early in his career left him deeply hurt, but eventually became one of the biggest turning points in his journey as an international cricketer.Ashwin admitted that he was upset after Manjrekar questioned his fitness following his first tour of Australia, suggesting that it was affecting both his bowling and fielding. The remarks angered him at the time and even led him to distance himself from the former India batter for several years.However, instead of dwelling on the criticism, Ashwin used it as motivation to transform his game.Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Cheeky Singles’, the veteran off-spinner recalled how the episode changed his outlook.“I had messaged Sanjay Manjrekar once. After my first Australia tour, he had written a long article, and I read it completely while returning. After reading I got angry, getting angry is one thing, but I felt very bad. I let it go. I used to not talk a lot to him either. The next four years, I worked a lot, as I was not a gifted athlete. Then in 2015, he wrote another article saying he was bowling very well. Then I asked for his number and messaged him that your article back then changed my life. I always look at whether there is something to learn from criticism,” Ashwin said.Ashwin explained that Manjrekar’s criticism prompted him to work relentlessly on his fitness and overall game, eventually helping him become one of the world’s leading spinners. Their relationship also improved after Manjrekar acknowledged the changes in his performances in a later article in 2015.Ashwin retired from international cricket as one of India’s most decorated cricketers. Across 287 international matches, he claimed 765 wickets, including 537 in Tests, 156 in ODIs and 72 in T20Is. He finished as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in international cricket, behind only Anil Kumble.Widely regarded as one of India’s greatest all-rounders, Ashwin also made significant contributions with the bat, scoring six Test centuries while playing a key role in India’s success in the longest format for more than a decade.Although he has retired from international and IPL cricket, Ashwin continues to feature in franchise T20 leagues around the world. He signed for the Big Bash League last season but missed the tournament due to injury before returning to action in Major League Cricket.
