The competition in the Indian cricket team is very tough at the moment as the players are losing their places even when they are rested or suffering from an injury. All the players have to stay fit and give their 100 percent on the field to retain their spot in the playing XI, however, one superstar who lost his place due to the team management’s change in thinking process is Ravichandran Ashwin.
The right-arm off-spinner from Tamil Nadu was once billed as the greatest spinner of the world however, the emergence of leg-spinners in India led to a decline in Ashwin’s career. But, in this article, we will cherish his glorious career by looking at the 7 records that prove R Ashwin is a very special cricketer.
1. 5 Wickets in an innings on Test debut
Every player who makes his Test debut for India is pretty nervous at first but, Ashwin showed no nerves at all when he played his first red-ball match for the nation. Playing against the mighty West Indians in Delhi, the offie took 3 wickets in the first innings before setting up India’s win with figures of 6/47 in the second innings.
2. Scoring 100 and taking 5-wicket haul in the same Test twice
As Ashwin’s career progressed, the south Indian player became more and more consistent. He showcased his all-round skills by performing well with the bat. West Indies seem to be his favorite opponent as he has scored a century and taken 5 wickets against them in the same match twice. The first instance came in 2011 at Mumbai while the second happened in 2016 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
3. 1st Indian to take two 4-wicket hauls in T20Is
Ravi Ashwin was India’s go-to bowler in T20I cricket and his wicket-taking abilities made him a constant feature of the T20I side. He made history by becoming the first Indian bowler to scalp two 4-wicket hauls in the shortest form of the game which reflects his outstanding skills.
4. 1st Indian to take 50 wickets in T20Is
While Ashwin does not play limited overs cricket now, he was the first bowler from India to take 50 wickets in T20Is. He was the one who led the Indian spin attack and he did his job to perfection by performing with supreme consistency.
5. 19 consecutive ODI innings with a wicket
To earn a place in the Indian team and to keep it for a long time is another. In case a player does not live up to the expectations then he soon loses his place but Ashwin matched expectations by once building a streak of 19 ODIs where he picked up at least one wicket. This feat is a dream for many bowlers. He achieved this record during the 2014-15 season.
6. Stitched best Indian Test partnership for 7th wicket
Apart from his bowling skills, Ashwin also made a huge impact on his batting performances. He once built a mega partnership of 280 runs with Rohit Sharma for the 7th wicket. This record was made during a Test versus West Indies at Eden Gardens in 2013. No other Indian pair has added so many runs for the seventh wicket.
7. Only Indian off-spinner with 7 ten-wicket match hauls
There have been a host of legendary off-spinners who has represented India in Tests but only Ashwin has been able to take 7 ten-wicket match hauls for the nation. No other off-spinner has taken more than 5 ten-wicket hauls which put Ashwin in a unique category and justifies why he is a special player.
