The first red-ball game between India and Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai will be remembered as the Ravichandran Ashwin Test, where the homeboy turned up with incredible performances with both bat and ball throughout the four innings to deliver the hosts an important start to the home season with 280-run victory.
When India was struggling in the first innings with the bat at a stage of 144/6, Ravichandran Ashwin stitched up a partnership of 199 runs with Jadeja, another IPL local for the city, for the seventh wicket, as the former celebrated his sixth century of the format, equaling with the former Indian captain MS Dhoni.
His knock of 113 runs in 133 deliveries, with the help of 11 boundaries and a couple of sixes at a strike rate of around 85, was one of the key factors behind them finishing on 376 at the end of the first innings.
“I am jealous of Ravindra Jadeja but”- Ravichandran Ashwin
It was a great turnaround for the veteran all-rounder with the ball in the second innings of the game. The rest of the bowling line-up blew away the Najmul Hossain Shanto-led side for just 149 runs, but the local boy had to be satisfied with his spell of 0/29 in 13 overs. There were moments when he could have grabbed a wicket after bowling beautifully but didn’t get to that point.
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However, he showed his excellence with the ball in the fourth inning. Shadman Islam, who was playing well by then, was foxed by the slow drifting away delivery of Ravichandran Ashwin and hit it straight into the hands of the cover fielder.
When the home side couldn’t break the overnight partnership of the third day between Shakib Al Hasan and Shanto, it was the 38-year-old who found the inside edge of the Bangladesh all-rounder into the hands of a silly point. And, from then, it was just a matter of time. The entire batting order of the visiting side fell before the smartness of the bowler, who ended with figures of 6/88 in 21 overs.
“Sometimes, when you’re in the race 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.” Ravichandran Ashwin expressed when he was asked about his potential rivalry with Jadeja in the Indian set-up.
The veteran spinner now has gone past Courtney Walsh (519) in the list of leading wicket-takers in this format of the game, as he is also the second-highest wicket-taker of the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle of 2023-25 with 48 scalps.
“Now, that admiration has gone one step higher, knowing I can never beat Jadeja. So, I’m comfortable in my skin but inspired by what he’s done.” He revealed further.
“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 admire him. I’ve learned to admire him for the last 4-5 years, even more than I have in the past.” Ravichandran Ashwin added to the conversation.
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The all-rounder from Tamil Nadu also touched on the inspirational career of Ravindra Jadeja, who scored 86 runs in the first innings and ended with five wickets in the game.
“He’s been a very inspirational story. On many of these occasions over the last 3-4 years, when he’s walked into 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.” Ravichandran Ashwin concluded.