Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s ace spinner, is all set to play his 100th Test match for the country in the fifth and final Test against England in Dharamsala, starting on Thursday. The 37-year-old, who made his Test debut in 2011, has been a key contributor to India’s success in the longest format, especially on home soil, where he has bamboozled many batsmen with his skill and variations.
Ashwin, who recently became the second Indian and the ninth overall to take 500 Test wickets, has another milestone in sight as he gears up for his landmark game. If India win the Dharamsala Test, Ashwin will equal Virat Kohli’s record of featuring in the most number of Test wins for India, with 59. Only Sachin Tendulkar, with 72 Test wins, is ahead of them in this list.
Ashwin has been instrumental in India’s dominance at home, where they have won 47 out of 61 Tests since his debut, with him taking 296 wickets at an average of 20.14 and a strike rate of 46. He has also improved his overseas record in recent years, with 103 wickets at 24.49 in 23 Tests since 2015. He was the leading wicket-taker for India in the recent tour of South Africa, where he picked up 15 wickets in three Tests at 18.13.
Apart from his bowling exploits, Ashwin has also proved his worth as a lower-order batsman, with four Test centuries and 12 fifties to his name. He has scored 2869 runs at an average of 27.77, with a highest score of 124. He has also been involved in some crucial partnerships with the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja, often bailing India out of trouble or extending their lead.
Ashwin, who was named the ICC Cricketer of the Year and the Test Cricketer of the Year in 2016, has also won several accolades and awards for his stellar performances. He has been conferred with the Arjuna Award, the Padma Shri and the BCCI’s Polly Umrigar Award. He has also been named as the Man of the Series seven times in Test cricket, the most for any Indian player.
As Ashwin prepares to join the elite club of 100-Test players, he will be hoping to celebrate the occasion with a match-winning performance and help India seal the series against England, which they currently lead 3-1. He will also be looking to match his former captain Kohli’s feat of being part of 59 Test wins, a testament to his consistency and impact in the game.