Viswanathan Anand describes Ravichandran Ashwin as a “chess player among cricketers.” Five-time World Chess Champion Vishwanathan Anand praised Ashwin as a “chess player among cricketers,” paying tribute to his cricketing intellect.
India’s spin maestro Ravichandran Ashwin reached a historic milestone by playing his 100th Test match against England at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. Five-time World Chess champion Vishwanathan Anand praised Ashwin as a “chess player among cricketers,” paying tribute to his cricketing intellect.
In a heartfelt video released by the BCCI, Anand expressed his delight in having a lengthy and enjoyable interaction with Ashwin during the pandemic. He praised Ashwin as a chess player among cricketers and urged him to bring his best concentration, viewing the 100th Test match as a significant feather in his cap.
“I had a very long and enjoyable interaction with Ashwin during the pandemic. He invited me on his Youtube channel and we discussed so many things. You’re the chess player among cricketers and I’m sure you can bring your peak concentration. Enjoy this great occasion. A real feather in your cap,” said Anand.
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Ashwin reflecting on his conversation with Anand
He stated that it taught him about the ability to train oneself to perform subconsciously. Allowing the body to take control rather than the mind. Recounting Anand’s chess insights, Ashwin was astound by the concept of moves becoming muscular. Emphasizing how it broad his perspective on training the subconscious to the point where the mind loses control and the body instinctively takes over.
“I’ve heard many stories about Vishwanathan Anand. You want to meet big people. You want to meet Vishwanathan Anand. But the fact that I had learned chess and had a basic understanding of it made me have an even bigger twinkle in my eyes when I was talking to him. ” Ashwin said.
“He told me that playing chess eventually became mechanical. When he said mechanical, I wonder if it was mundane for him. However, this was not the case because a timer was constantly running. The moves became muscular, which is unbelievable. But it opened my eyes to the fact that you can actually train your subconscious to the point where your body takes over, rather than your mind,” Ashwin added.
Regarding the ongoing Test match, India’s bowling prowess was on full display, with wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav taking five wickets and Ashwin taking four. Despite a strong start, the English side collapsed, paving the way for India’s dominance.
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