The Indian Premier League is purported to have brought cricketers from countries around the world closer than they ever have been - on and off the pitch.
But while some competitors turned IPL teammates are willing to share tactical insights, it seems India's most potent bowler Ravichandran Ashwin is not among them.
Ashwin shared a dressing room with Australia's Test squad members Steve Smith, Mitch Marsh and Peter Handscomb during last year's Twenty20 competition.
If Smith was hoping to glean any insider information about the offspinner, recently donned the "Bradman of bowling" by Steve Waugh, he was out of luck.
Battles in the nets between Pune teammates Ashwin and Smith, ranked first on the International Cricket Council's Test bowling and batting charts respectively, were a gee-up.
Ashwin even went so far as to bowl legspin to Australia's skipper.
The two stars will play key roles in the four-Test series that starts in Pune on Thursday, with Ashwin insisting his hijinks last year weren't a ploy to keep the gifted batsman in the dark.
"Not really. That was not the intent," Ashwin told The New India Express.
"I'm definitely more phased out in the way I practice during the IPL. Bowling leg spin had to do with skill development.
"How much ever you study or practice against someone (doesn't matter compared to how you play), it boils down to the fact that you have to come out to the middle and replicate everything.
"I don't want to read much into it."
The 30-year-old grabbed his 250th wicket during the recent Test between India and Bangladesh. In doing so in his 45th Test, Ashwin eclipised Dennis Lillee's record. Australian icon Lillee brought up the milestone in 48 Tests.
Ashwin, India's leading wicket-taker in their recent 4-0 thumping of England despite nursing a groin injury, outlined his plans for David Warner.
"Warner is a fine player. If you don't get him early, he will hurt you. I'll be very very pro-active about it, and try to unsettle him as early as possible," Ashwin said.
"Obviously, there will be a dismissal pattern, since certain batsmen get out in the same fashion. That is something I can definitely target.
"Most of their batsmen I know well, but some of them are new. We will have to watch a few videos and prepare as usual."
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