What Is R Ashwin’s Ethnicity? Former Indian Spinner Once Urged Tamillians To Learn Hindi

Ravichandran Ashwin has officially announced his retirement from international cricket, effective immediately, following the conclusion of the third Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series held in Brisbane.

“This will mark my final year as an Indian cricketer across all formats,” Ashwin revealed during a press conference after the Brisbane Test. “While I believe I still have some cricket left in me, I plan to channel that energy into playing at the club level,” he added.

Ashwin concludes his illustrious Test career as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the format, amassing 537 wickets at an average of 24 in 106 Tests. He trails only Anil Kumble, who tops the charts with 619 wickets in 132 matches.

What Is R Aswhin’s Ethnicity?

Ravichandran Ashwin was born on September 17, 1986, in Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, to parents Ravichandran and Chitra. His father, Ravichandran, was a club-level cricketer who specialized as a fast bowler.

Ashwin began his early education at Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan before transferring to St. Bede’s School for his higher secondary studies. He later earned a BTech degree in Information Technology from SSN College of Engineering in Chennai.

Ashwin’s cricket journey began at the age of nine when he started playing for YMCA under the guidance of coach Chandrasekar Rao. His move to St. Bede’s proved pivotal, as the school had a cricket academy where he trained under C. K. Vijaya Kumar.

Initially a medium-pace bowler, Ashwin transitioned to off-spin on the advice of his coach. He also received guidance from former spinner Sunil Subramaniam and mentorship from ex-cricketer W. V. Raman. Early in his career, Ashwin represented India’s under-17 team as an opening batsman.

When R Ashwin Asked Tamilians To Learn Hindi

Tamil Nadu’s renowned cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin believes the state’s residents could “blossom” if they moved past saying “Hindi theriyathu poda” (don’t know Hindi, go away) and embraced learning some Hindi. Speaking in an interview with Tamil YouTube channel Sports Vikatan, Ashwin shared how essential a basic understanding of the language is for navigating life outside Tamil Nadu.

The seasoned spinner also recounted how his fluency in English often left his teammates from northern states in awe, likening him to “Einstein” during his early cricketing days.

Ashwin recently co-authored a book titled I Have the Streets: A Kutty Cricket Story with cricket writer Siddharth Monga. The book chronicles his early cricketing days, his journey to making it into the World Cup squad, and his relationship with former Indian captain M.S. Dhoni.

R Ashwin’s Early Challenges with Hindi

Responding to a question about his initial struggles with the Hindi language while traveling outside Tamil Nadu, Ashwin shared an anecdote from an Under-14 camp in Tirunelveli. He recalled how a fellow Tamil Nadu teammate misunderstood the phrase “main khelunga” (I will play).

“In the camp, there was a power cut, and we were all sharing inspiring cricket stories. Someone recounted Sachin Tendulkar’s experience in Pakistan, where Imran Khan’s delivery struck Sachin’s nose, causing it to bleed. When Sachin was asked to step aside, he responded, ‘Main khelunga.’ It was such an inspiring moment. But minutes later, one of the boys asked me if ‘main khelunga’ was the name of a McDonald’s burger,” Ashwin said, laughing.

A North-South Divide in Cricket Camps

Ashwin also shared his experience at an Under-17 camp where his English-speaking skills made him stand out. “Most of the players were Hindi-speaking, and I was communicating only in English. They would look at me like I was Einstein. If I were Einstein, they wouldn’t even let me in!” he quipped. “It took me 15 years to bridge this gap, and I don’t want others to take that long, which is why I’ve written this book.”

The spinner reflected on his relationship with M.S. Dhoni, admitting that until 2008, Dhoni was unaware of his existence. “I set a goal for myself: I wanted to dismiss Dhoni to make him notice me,” he revealed.

Ashwin also recounted an amusing story about how he discovered his World Cup selection through an informal chat. “I found a Facebook account named M.S. Dhoni and sent a message saying, ‘Hi.’ When he responded, I asked if it was really him. Dhoni replied, ‘What do you want?’ confirming it was his account. During our chat, he casually told me, ‘Get ready for the World Cup.’ I was so stunned I didn’t know whom to tell!”