Ravichandran Ashwin made history on the first day of the Test series opener between India and Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. He scored his sixth Test century, further cementing his place as one of the all-time greats in cricket. With 516 wickets to his name, Ashwin is widely regarded as one of the best Test bowlers in history, and he also boasts an impressive record with the bat, scoring over 50 runs on 20 occasions, including 6 centuries.
Ashwin’s Remarkable Performance
On the first day of the match between India and Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Ashwin achieved a major milestone with his bat. His outstanding performance helped India recover from a difficult position after they were struggling at 144-6, having lost the toss and been sent in to bat first. Joining Ravindra Jadeja at the crease, the two formed a crucial partnership, adding over 150 runs.
Ashwin was the driving force in this partnership, quickly reaching his half-century in just 58 balls. This was his second-fastest half-century in Test cricket. Later, he went on to score his fastest century, reaching the 100-run mark in just 108 balls. This was also his second century scored at his home ground in Chennai.
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A Record-Breaking Achievement
Ashwin’s impressive innings marked the 20th time he had crossed the 50-run mark in his career. This achievement made him the first cricketer in history to have 20 50+ scores with the bat and over 30 five-wicket hauls in Test cricket.
Ashwin is currently tied for third place in terms of most five-wicket hauls in Test cricket, having taken 36 five-wicket hauls in his career. With 516 wickets in total, Ashwin is just one behind the legendary Shane Warne, who has 37. The all-time leader, Muttiah Muralitharan, tops the chart with 67 five-wicket hauls.
Comparisons with Legends
Among players who have taken more than 30 five-wicket hauls, Richard Hadlee came closest to Ashwin’s achievement with 17 50+ scores (15 centuries and 2 half-centuries). Shane Warne also managed 12 fifties in his career. Other legendary all-rounders like Ian Botham (36 five-wicket hauls), Kapil Dev (35), and Imran Khan (24) all have more than 20 50+ scores but did not manage to reach 30 five-wicket hauls. Botham came closest with 27 five-wicket hauls, while Kapil and Imran both had 23.
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