R Ashwin 100: Shikhar Dhawan, Wasim Jaffer, Harbhajan Singh and others laud Ashwin for 5th Test century

R Ashwin 100: Playing at his home ground, Ravichandran Ashwin followed a five-wicket haul with a Test century.

During the third day of the second Test of the ongoing England’s tour of India in Chennai, India’s Ravichandran Ashwin has slammed all critics of the Chepauk pitch with his bat by scoring his fifth Test century.

Coming in to bat at No. 8 in the 37th over, Ashwin joined captain Virat Kohli on a surface which had witnessed the Indian top-order collapsing for not many runs today.

What followed was a 96-run partnership between Kohli and Ashwin which further strengthened India’s position in the match. Ashwin, who scored his first boundary off the second delivery that he faced, scored another one in the same over to give early hints of him looking unperturbed by the pitch.

With Kohli putting on display a masterclass by blocking the English bowlers with utmost comfort, Ashwin continued his brisk run-making with a lot of authority.

Completing his half-century soon after Kohli crossed the 50-run mark, Ashwin appeared to match his captain with the bat in hand. Once Kohli was dismissed in the 66th over, there was a general assumption of India bundling down without Ashwin reaching the three-figure mark.

Batting at 56* at that time, Ashwin up the ante knowing that he was in a race against time to complete his century. Ashwin, who needed 18 runs when India’s No. 11 in Mohammed Siraj came in to bat, batted with wisdom to keep Siraj off strike whenever possible whilst taking calculated risks himself to reach the three-figure mark in the 82nd over.

R Ashwin 100

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