Battling mental & physical agony: Aswin Crist opens up on 3-year struggle with stress fracture

CHENNAI: In mid-2017, Tamil Nadu pacer Aswin Crist was seemingly about to enter the prime of his career. He had become the leader of the Tamil Nadu pace bowling unit across all three formats and had even been included in the India U-23 side for the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Emerging Teams Cup. But a stress fracture, which surfaced during the 2017 edition of the TNPL, has severely halted Aswin’s progress and forced him to start from scratch all over again.
He did return to the Tamil Nadu side for the Vijay Hazare Trophy in February 2018 after seven months of rehab, but the 25-year-old broke down again and has not played a single domestic game since then.
Over the last couple of years, it has been a harrowing ride for Aswin having had to go through a prolonged period at the treatment table. Recalling the difficult times, Aswin said during 'Fan Play-Sports Ruler Inside Out with Baggs' Youtube show: "It has been a very tough journey for me. It has been a slow journey, actually, because three years is a very long time for any sportsperson. And it was also during my prime, I would say. Still, it’s ok. I have learnt so many lessons from these years of hard toil in the physio room, with the doctors, trainers, and bowling coaches. So, it’s been great learning. And I have also figured out how to go past the hurdles. It has been really helpful in life."
Aswin is now finally fit and even played a TNCA league game before the coronavirus pandemic brought cricket to a halt. Now that he’s begun bowling again, Aswin hopes to make an impact as and when he gets another opportunity. "My thoughts are simple. I have just got to keep myself fit and get back to being the best version of myself. Regarding the Ranji Trophy, my first thought is Tamil Nadu should win the Ranji Trophy irrespective of whether I am playing or not. How can I contribute to the team’s cause would be my second thought. If I play, I should be able to win matches for the team, and that is what I am working towards. That’s the short-term goal for now," Aswin said.
Aswin’s return may not have been possible if not for a little intervention from former TNCA secretary and current Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan. Aswin had consulted many specialists and begun to doubt his chances of a comeback before meeting the CSK CEO at Chepauk in March 2019. It was Kasi sir, as he is popularly known, who asked Aswin to consult CSK physio Tommy Simsek, and he in turn referred him to Dr Rowan Schouten. Schouten is a surgeon based out of Christchurch in New Zealand who has done surgeries on the likes of James Pattinson and Matt Henry in the past.
"I mailed Dr Rowan thinking I might not get a reply immediately. I got a reply the very next day, however, and then I shared my reports. Within three to four days, he gave me a detailed report, which no one has given me in the past two years. It was so clear that only then I understood what exactly my issue was. Then I spoke to my parents, trainers, physios and convinced them that I am going ahead with him and not anyone else. In June 2019, I landed in Christchurch and got my surgery done. After 20 days, we came back to India. It took me nine months to play my first match. For two months, it was complete rest, and then I started my rehab slowly and worked on my bowling. It’s been a very long journey," Aswin explained.