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🦩 criti🐽cised 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 English bowling attack.
With the help of Ashwin’s heroics, Indꦬia set England a target of 482 to win the contest as the hosts look to lev🥀el the four-match series.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
Chepauk applauds you, the co♉untry applauds you 👏 Ashwin, what an all round performance!
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25)
Ruthless 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 followed by an excellent💝 💯 for the 3rd time in a Test!
The magnificent has brought up his 5th Test century and his first in C𝄹hennai. What a game is the💜 local hero having. 🤩💪🏾
— BCCI (@BCCI)
Great things never come from comfort♒ zone and this is great knock from Also showed it’s going to be hard batting on this pitc🍌h but hard does not mean impossible. Nothing but RESPECT Ash🙏
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281)
Superb bo𓆉wling. Terrific batting 💯 take a bow 🙇
— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar)
Deserved that 👏
— Isa Guha (@isaguha)
Class 100 👏👏👏 Simply outstanding take a bow 🙇♂️.. showing everyone how to bat and bowl on this tra🎶ck.. we𒁃ll 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 b⛦rilliant hundred in the second innings . Top class 🙌🏻
— Mithali Raj (@M_Raj03)
Well done again PAANCHwin
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan)
Brilliant tussi Great ho … 🧢
— SAYYED I🗹QBAL ABDULLAH (SIA) (@iqqiabdullah)
Century and a 5-for by Indians in 𓆏the same Test m👍atch:
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 Ashw൩in. I was beginning 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 i🦩s 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 Chenn💝ai crowd 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)
