Ravichandran Ashwin was the star of the show on day 3 of the second Test against England in Chennai. After taking a five-wicket haul on day 2, Ashwin then contributed with the bat to rescue India from a precarious position. Ashwin came in when the score read 106/6 but he showed a lot of composure to stitch an important partnership with Virat Kohli.
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After Virat’s dismissal, three wickets fell quickly and it looked like Ashwin might not get his hundred. India had lost nine wickets and Ashwin still needed more than 20 runs to get to the century-mark. Mohammed Siraj walked in and tried to play some defensive shots. It looked like he would go for a big shot but Ashwin managed to talk Siraj as the no.11 batsman played responsibly.
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Eventually, Siraj held on to his wicket as Ashwin reached the triple-figure mark. Siraj celebrated joyously along with Ashwin when he completed his century. Ashwin talked about what he told Siraj while playing in the middle with him.
“In the past, he's (Ishant) been with me when I got hundreds at home and once Siraj came, I knew how to approach. I was thrilled for his batting and told him to go through the line of the ball. It was amazing to see how excited he was when I got my hundred. I don't know what the team is feeling like but I am sure they are thrilled. I can't thank the crowd enough, they have been very supportive,” Ashwin said after the match.
{{/usCountry}}“In the past, he's (Ishant) been with me when I got hundreds at home and once Siraj came, I knew how to approach. I was thrilled for his batting and told him to go through the line of the ball. It was amazing to see how excited he was when I got my hundred. I don't know what the team is feeling like but I am sure they are thrilled. I can't thank the crowd enough, they have been very supportive,” Ashwin said after the match.
{{/usCountry}}Ashwin notched up a Test century after almost five years. His previous century came in and against West Indies where he scored 118 off 297 in the third Test at Gros Islet in 2016. With the hundred, Ashwin has now scored a century and taken a five-wicket haul in a Test match thrice in his career. He is now only behind former England captain Ian Botham, who's achieved this feat five times.