Ravichandran Ashwin played a solid knock in India's three-wicket nail-biting victory over Bangladesh at Dhaka on Sunday,
He scored an unbeaten 42 not out to successfully take the visitors over the line.
India were in a spot of bother at 74-7. But Ashwin stitched a gritty 71-run unbeaten partnership with Shreyas Iyer to secure a 2-0 series sweep before lunch on day four.
Now, the off-spinner has revealed his chat with Bangladeshi players Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Litton Das a day before the winning knock.
Ashwin revealed how Mehidy and Litton teased him at the poolside after close of play.
"These two (Mehidy Hasan and Litton Das) were casually swimming in the pool. I was thinking whether they would tease me or say something in Bengali. But these two are really good guys. They said, 'Welcome Ash bhai! We thought you would be the nightwatchman today but why didn't you come? But anyway you will come to bat tomorrow, your wicket will be crucial.' They just started to sledge me. I replied, 'congrats on the famous, historic Test win for Bangladesh guys!'. They were like, 'Come on! We know you guys bat deep. So it won't be easy for us. We will tell you one thing, it won't be easy to chase any target in the fourth innings in Mirpur'. I told Mehidy, 'bro wait till the end of 35 overs. Once the condition of the ball changes, anything can happen'. I told him how the condition of the ball and the nature of the slow pitch allows the batters to play on the front and back foot after 35 overs," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
The 36-year-old revealed his fondness for Litton and said he thought the batsman can reach the levels of Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, Joe Root and Steve Smith when he saw him playing for Bangladesh for the first time.
Pathbreaking cricketer
"I told Litton Das that I saw him during his Test debut. I saw his style of play and thought here is a pathbreaker who can take Bangladesh cricket forward. I told him ‘I have a small disappointment. I thought you will reach the level of Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Joe Root, and Kane Williamson’. He replied saying 'Yes, I agree Ash bhai. Our cricketing culture is different. We don't get that much exposure since we play only here. When we play on a different pitch, it takes time for us to adapt'.
"He told me when I was leaving that he has almost cracked how to become the pathbreaker, he has found the formula. I told him that I will be the first person to be happy for him if he does well," he added.
