India vs England: Ravichandran Ashwin scores fifth Test hundred, reaches unique milestone

During the third day of the second Test against Chennai, Ashwin brought up a fighting ton, taking India’s second-innings lead past the 450-run mark.

The crowd at Chepauk on Sunday gave a huge round of applause for local hero Ravichandran Ashwin as he notched up his 5th hundred in Test cricket. During the third day of the second Test against Chennai, the India all-rounder brought up a fighting ton, taking India’s second-innings lead past the 450-run mark.

Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates his fifth Test ton (BCCI/Twitter)

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.

Ashwin is now the second Tamil Nadu player to score a Test century at Chepauk after Kris Srikkanth, who hit 123 against Pakistan in 1986/87. Besides, this is Ashwin's first century against a team other than West Indies.

Ashwin also became only the second player to score a ton while batting at number eight in Chennai. Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan was the first cricketer to do so. He did this feat against India back in 1987 when he remained unbeaten on 135.

On Monday, Ashwin came to bat after the hosts were reduced to 106 for six in the second innings. He joined Indian captain Virat Kohli and stitched a 96-run stand which is also the fourth-highest seventh-wicket stand in Chennai.

Kohli fell in the 66th over against the run of play. Moeen Ali trapped him after a change in his bowling angle as the ball straightened up. Ashwin eventually perished for 106, cleaned up