NEWS
Follow UsR Ashwin was phenomenal in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. The 38-year-old slammed 113 off 133 to help India recover from 144/6 to 376 in the first innings and then claimed six wickets in the final innings to close out the game, leading India to a 280-run victory. This was the fourth time Ashwin scored a century and took a five-wicket haul in the same Test.
However, he had Ravindra Jadeja right alongside him throughout the game. The left-handed batter scored 86 in the first innings and was involved in a 199-run stand for the seventh wicket alongside Ashwin. Then in the second innings, Jadeja claimed three wickets. The two spin-bowling all-rounders have been India’s biggest match-winners at home in the last decade.
Since 2013, the two have played 45 Tests together at home and India have lost only three of those. Talking about Jadeja, Ashwin said: “He's been a very inspirational story. On many of these occasions over the last 3-4 years, when he's walked in to bat, I feel so calm and composed in the dressing room. It’s such an inspirational story about how he's found his off-stump, how he's contributed.”
Ashwin said his admiration for Jadeja has grown a lot over the last four-five years. "Jadeja on the field is a fire. He's a rocket on the field. So, all in all, I envy him. I'm jealous of him but totally admire him. I've learnt to admire him for the last 4-5 years, even more than I have in the past.
“Sometimes, when you're in the race along with your co-cricketers, you want to get ahead of one another, even inside a team. It's like brothers growing in arms, right? And then you slowly start admiring one another. Now, that admiration has gone one step higher, knowing that I can never beat Jadeja. So, I'm comfortable in my skin, but totally inspired by what he's done.”
Ashwin also heaped heavy praise on Rishabh Pant who made his return to Test cricket after 635 days. The dynamic wicketkeeper-batter scored 39 in the first innings and then smashed 109 off 128 in India’s second innings to take the game completely away from Bangladesh’s reach.
"I don't think Rishabh's form or ability was ever going to be in question at all. I think the way he's come back and put himself on the field is quite miraculous. I don't think there was any pressure on him. He's entertaining. Not the greatest of sights for people sitting behind him to go into bat. I don't know when his turn will come. But yeah, I think he's only going to get better. He's always had the backing of the team,” said Ashwin.
Did Ashwin know this was his fastest ton? “That I figured out as it was coming at a rapid pace. Generally, here, when you hit the ball, it doesn't travel faster, but this was a different pitch from back in the 2010s. What helped was the preparation I put in while playing TNPL. I had a good preparatory camp before TNPL and also had a good finish in the TNPL. That helped me here.”
Bangladesh were bowled out for just 149 in their first innings but Ashwin didn’t take a single wicket in 13 overs. The offspinner, however, made his presence felt in the final innings. He dismissed Shadman Islam, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed to complete his 37th five-wicket haul.
“Pace was critical, I was earning my right to bowl slower. This is a surface where one which was reacting was when you go slower. But if you bowl a lot slower, there is time to play you off the back foot. I embrace pressure, I really enjoy being under pressure.”
Talking about his journey and love for Chennai, the 38-year-old said: “I can't really comment on what sort of impact I have had on this Test match. I had huge shoes to fill, I came in to replace Harbhajan Singh. I used to replicate his action in junior cricket, he was an inspiration to me.
“Constantly people have doubted if I could deliver in red-ball as I came from IPL, lots of people have come and helped me. Once upon a time, this ground was concrete blocks and my first experience was watching from the Mac B stand, watching Sachin Tendulkar. One day I wanted to be on this particular ground and play. My first IPL contract was given here, some energy pulls me into this ground, I don't know how much longer but I love coming back here.”
The Chennai Test is over, but India are scheduled to play nine more Tests in the next three to four months. Ashwin wants to take it one Test at a time and not look too far ahead. "It is a long season. But sometimes when you look so far ahead, it can be quite deflating. You are playing like 3-4 months of cricket and you are playing 10 Test matches. A lot of Test matches.
"So, sometimes you can't think like that. You have to stack it up. I did put in a bit of work getting into it. I know I need to have some reserves in the tank. So, I have tried to build it up. We will have to see. There are good breaks between games. Hopefully, we will get small windows for me to keep ironing it out. More than skill, I think it is about physically being able and pliable to be able to go through the season which is of utmost importance for me right now."
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