As Ravichandran Ashwin Approaches The Milestone Of 50 Tests, Here Are Some Standout Moments From His Career
He needs 25 more to complete 300 wickets.
On July 26 in Galle, India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will play his 50th Test. Here's a look back at five defining performances.
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6/47 v West Indies, Delhi, 2011
In India's first Test at home since 2000 without either Anil Kumble or Harbhajan Singh, a debutant offspinner walked away with the Man-of-the-Match award. In the first innings it was Pragyan Ojha who starred with six, and in the second Ashwin did the same.
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The over that turned the match on day three was Ashwin's 12th, the 30th of the innings and 16th of the day, a double-wicket maiden. No doubt watching how Darren Bravo was keen to get his pad forward, Ashwin lured the batsman forward with a straighter one that thudded into the front leg. Next to go was Marlon Samuels, foxed by the carom ball which broke away and hit off stump.
After that double-wicket maiden, he was given another spell and took 3/26 - including the big one of Shivnarine Chanderpaul - to give himself match figures of 9/128, the second best for an Indian on debut following Narendra Hirwani's 16/136 against West Indies in 1988.
7/103 & 5/95 v Australia, Chennai, 2013
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After a decidedly series against England, many began to question Ashwin's ability as a Test bowler - in particular, his attempts to try too many variations came in for criticism. He came into the first Test in his home city in February keen to vindicate that he could emulate his limited-overs success in Test cricket and left it with 12 wickets, a strong reply to those who doubted his spin prowess. Ashwin's first spell on day one was a complete departure from how he bowled against England, as he adhered to a probing length to draw the left-handed Australian top order forward and got the ball to dip deceptively. He removed Ed Cowan, David Warner and Phillip Hughes with turning deliveries and trapped Shane Watson with a quicker delivery, then went on to finish with seven wickets in the first innings.
In the second dig, Ashwin was given the new ball and wheeled away for 32 overs to add Cowan, Watson, Michael Clarke, James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc. It was a dominant effort from India's premier spin bowler, and put the hosts on course for a historic 4-0 sweep; Ashwin finished the series with 29 wickets and was named Man of the Series.
6/46 v Sri Lanka, Galle, 2015
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Ishant Sharma was disciplined. Varun Aaron was wasteful after his first spell, conceding 34 in four overs during his last spell. Harbhajan was wicketless across eight overs, never having any Sri Lankan batsman in trouble. Amit Mishra found himself on a hat-trick in his last over, but that owed to a rash shot from Dinesh Chandimal and a nothing shot from Sri Lanka's No 10. Ashwin finished with figures of 13.4-2-46-6 and he was, by far, the best bowler on view. Tidy, economical, aggressive, crafty. There was flight, dip, turn and bounce - all four elements of spin bowling in full display. Backed by some fine catching, Ashwin bagged his best figures outside of India.
5/32 & 7/66 v South Africa, Nagpur, 2015
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On a spiteful pitch assisting turn, Ashwin was just too much for a weary South African side, still ranked No 1 but looking out of depth in such testing conditions.
Ashwin's exceptional performance began with the new ball late on day one - after India had been bowled out for 201 - when he bowled Stiaan van Zyl to leave South Africa 9/2 at stumps. His dominance was stamped in the morning session, first when he removed the dogged Dean Elgar and then in an over before lunch when Hashim Amla and Dane Vilas fell to his relentless line.
On day three, South Africa were set a target of 215. While Ravindra Jadeja opened the gates with the new ball, Ashwin happily spun himself career-best figures of 7/66 as India sealed the series, and thus ended a stunning South African run of nine years without an overseas series loss.
6/55 v England, Mumbai, 2016
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The No 1 Test bowler turned the first day of the Mumbai Test on its head with the wickets of Moeen Ali and debutant centurion Keaton Jennings in his first over after tea, on the way to figures of 6/112. But his biggest act was derailing England's second innings with a spell of 9.3-2-15-6 to complete an innings win. On the last day, his removal of Jonny Bairstow with a carrom ball was worthy of the highest praise.
