Ravichandran Ashwin has been India’s star with both bat and ball during the ongoing second Test against England at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The local boy first demolished tourists’ batting unit, picking up five wickets as they were bowled out for a paltry 134 in reply to India’s first innings total of 329.
In the second essay, Ashwin walked in to bat with India reeling at 106/6 and stitched a 96-run partnership with captain Virat Kohli, who was given out LBW on 62.
Batting with the tail, Ashwin raced away to register his fifth Test century, before being castled by fast bowler Ollie Stone.
With the hundred, the Tamil Nadu lad has now scored a century and taken a five-wicket haul in a Test match thrice in his career. He is now only behind former England captain Ian Botham, who’s achieved this feat five times.
On a pitch that has been criticised for being a minefield, Ashwin showed that with right technique and temperament, batsmen could shine, as he hit 13 fours and a six against the En🍃glish bowling attack.
With the help of Ashwin’s heroics, 𓆉India set England a target of 482 to win the ✱contest as the hos𝄹ts look to level the four-match series.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Chepauk applauds 🧔you, the country applauds you 👏 Ashwin, what an allꩲ round performance!
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25)
Rꦏuthless performance by !!! India have so many more skilled players for these conditions .. High class ..
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
They – Pitch is naat good for batting,nno way can bat on thees.
Ashwin-
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag)
A 5-wicket haul follow☂ed by an excellent 💯 for the 3rd time in a Test!
The magnificent has brou📖ght🍎 up his 5th Test century and his first in Chennai. What a game is the local hero having. 🤩💪🏾
— BCCI (@BCCI)
Gr😼eat things never come from comfort zone and this is great knock from Alsꦕo showed it’s going to be hard batting on this pitch but hard does not mean impossible. Nothing but RESPECT Ash🙏
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281)
Superb bowling. Terrific batting 💯 take ��a bow💮 🙇
— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar)
Deserved that 👏
— Isa Guha (@isaguha)
Class 100 👏👏👏 Simply outstanding take a bow 🙇♂ꦜ️.. sh✃owing everyone how to bat and bowl on this track.. well done
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh)
Well, this is pretty special.
Ruthless from India.
Wonderful cricket.— Ian Bell (@Ian_Bell)
What an outstanding performance from . The fifer followed by a brilliant hundred in the second inningღs . Top class 🙌🏻
— Mithali Raj (@M_Raj03)
Well done again PAANCHwin
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan)
Brilliant tussi Great ho … 🧢
— SAYYED IQBA🥃L ABDULLAH (SIA) (@iqqiabdullah)♏
Century and a 5-forඣ 🐻by Indians in the same Test match:
R Ashwin – 3 times
All other Indians – 2 times (Mankad in 1952 & Umrigar in 1962)— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath)
Well played Ash ! 🏏❤️✅
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina)
🏴: it’s a bad pitch
🇮🇳: ‘Ravichandran Ashwin scores a ton’🔥
— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB)
Wonderful from Ashwi🐷n. I was begin🌳ning to fear that the batsman in him was getting lost. On a difficult track, this century is a gem.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha)
As much as I enjoyed Ashwin’s knock, I loved Sirajs beaming smile,fist pumps and celebrations when got to his 100. Here is a man who puts others before self. I hope that character trait is🦂 backed as much as much as every other skill set he possesses
— DK (@DineshKarthik)
Ashwin brilliant. Well deserved.
— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg)
Well played Chennai’s Super King !! Brilliant 100 from Ravi Ashwin …
— Nasser Hussain (@nassercricket)
Awesome Ashwin!
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh)
How good is . Making batting look so easy on a tough surface. One real spl player. Chennai boy giving the Chennai c🍷rowd all the entertainment
— Hemang Badani (@hemangkbadani)
What a performer wheather it's bat or bowl you are a genius
— Naman Ojha (@namanojha35)
When he bowled, the pitch appeared like a rank turner, when he batted it looked like a flat batting pitch. Take a bow , you're truly a modern day legend. What a performance!!!
— R SRIDHAR (@coach_rsridhar)
