India's spin spearhead Ravichandran Ashwin, who stole the show on day two of the pink-ball Test by picking four wickets, said he felt like "making a debut" as he stepped on the field to play an international game after 10 months. Ashwin last played a match for India in the longest format of the game in February this year as all sporting fixtures were either cancelled or postponed after that due to the coronavirus pandemic. The senior campaigner said he never imagined that he would be playing Test cricket amid the coronavirus scare and expressed his happiness over international sporting action resuming.
"I am so happy that we are playing Test cricket again. It's been a long time and I didn't imagine that we will be playing Test cricket looking at what's happening around," Ashwin said during a virtual press conference.
"Me being extremely mad about the sport, did a lot of work during the lockdown. So it was refreshing to go out there and bowl, the feeling was great – the pink-ball Test and all that new thing about the pink ball," he added.
Ashwin first hogged the limelight on day two when he dismissed in-form batsman Steve Smith.
The spinner admitted that it was a "big wicket" and relished the chance of bowling after so long.
"Felt amazing to go out there and play. I felt I was making my debut all over again so I really enjoyed bowling. Obviously, Smith's wicket was a big wicket (because of) the way he bats.
"So it was an important wicket and I enjoyed it," he added.