Thu Jan 30 20:12:39 IST 2025: ## Ashwin Reveals Obsessive Study of Smith, Critiques England’s Approach
**Bengaluru, India** – Legendary Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed the lengths he went to in analyzing opponents’ batting techniques, admitting his intense focus on Steve Smith’s style even worried his wife. Speaking at the AWS AI Conclave 2025 in Bengaluru, Ashwin recounted spending days meticulously studying Smith’s batting, particularly his hand movements, to the point where his wife joked he had a “man crush” on the Australian batsman. He explained his need for more data to support his analysis but lacked the resources at the time. Despite this intense scrutiny, he successfully dismissed Smith on multiple occasions.
Beyond his personal anecdotes, Ashwin also offered a sharp critique of England’s recent T20I series performance in India. He compared England’s consistent attacking approach, regardless of pitch conditions, to driving in Bengaluru’s notoriously congested traffic – a strategy he deemed unsustainable. Ashwin suggested the 2022 T20 World Cup champions needed to adapt their tempo and understand the nuances of Indian pitches to succeed. He stated that England played “incomplete cricket,” making a series of mistakes by failing to adapt their game plan to the circumstances.
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