India and Delhi Capitals spinner R Ashwin has revealed he spent eight-nine sleepless nights before deciding to take a break from IPL 2021. The Delhi Capitals offspinner opted to be with his family after they were affected by COVID-19. The tournament was suspended indefinitely on May 4, eight days after Ashwin's left. A total of ten members from Ashwin's family tested positive, the offspinner revealed. "Almost everyone from my place had got affected due to Covid," he recounted on his YouTube channel. "In fact, a few of my cousins also got admitted and were serious and they somehow recovered.
"I couldn't sleep for almost eight-nine days. Since I couldn't sleep, it was really stressful for me. I was playing matches without getting any sleep. And since I found it really taxing, I had to quit IPL and go home midway. In fact, when I left around that time, I had thoughts on whether I will be able to play cricket thereafter. But still, I did what was required at that point of time. Anyway, after that, I thought there won't be any cricket for some time."In between, when people in my house started recovering, I thought of coming back into the IPL and that's when IPL was called off."Ashwin is now quarantining in Mumbai with the India squad before their departure for the World Test Championship final and the series against England. Ashwin has played 78 Test matches for India in which he’s picked up 409 wickets at an average of 24.69. Currently, he is fourth in the list of India’s leading wicket-takers behind Anil Kumble, Kapil Dev and Harbhajan Singh. Furthermore, Ashwin has grabbed 30 five-wicket hauls and seven ten-wicket haul in a match, making him one of the best spinners to ever play the game and arguably the greatest finger spinner of the modern era.
