5 times R Ashwin the batter emerged as India's crisis man in Tests
While Ravichandran Ashwin’s quality with the ball has spoken for itself throughout his Test career, the tweaker from Chennai has always seen himself as more of an all-rounder in the format. Indeed, from time to time, Ashwin produced performances with the bat, which would validate his credentials as a reliable hand in the lower order.
As he put together his sixth career Test century on day one of the opening Test match against Bangladesh, Indian fans received a reminder of the many times Ashwin has come in lower down the order to play match-saving innings to save his team. Here is a list of the five most memorable such innings.
India vs Bangladesh Live Score 1st Test Day 2Maiden Test century vs West Indies, 2011Playing in only his third Test match and his third Test innings, R Ashwin came in at number 8 with India at 331-6 and still trailing by 259 runs after West Indies’ mammoth first innings score at the Wankhede.
Ashwin once again scored at a brisk rate in this innings, hitting 15 boundaries and even two sixes as India ate into the deficit. He scored 103 of India’s next 151 runs while batting with the tail to keep India competitive, having already taken a 5-fer with the ball.
Later in the Test, Ashwin once again kept India alive on the final day of the famous tied Test, as he made sure that India would avoid the loss in the final over. With two runs required on the last ball, he was run out trying to complete the second run, but had ensured India prevented the loss in this match.
Saving the match in Sydney, 2021Perhaps the most significant innings on this list, Ashwin’s warrior innings at the SCG in 2021 alongside Hanuma Vihari and Cheteshwar Pujara is one of those which figures highly on India’s greatest Test moments.
Coming in with nearly 50 overs of play left on day 5 after Pujara was dismissed, Ashwin was already carrying a strained back and in poor shape. He faced 128 deliveries for his 39*, wearing several bouncers on his body, but ensured that India wouldn’t have to resort to the tail or an even more severely injured Ravindra Jadeja to save the Test.
India famously snatched the draw despite depleted resources in Sydney, setting the stage for the famous series victory in the following Test at the Gabba.
106 vs England, Chennai, 2022Ashwin scored a crucial third-innings century to keep India’s noses ahead against England in the 2022 home series. Having lost the first Test in Chennai, the two teams were facing off at the same venue in the Covid-affected tour. India had set up a big first innings thanks to a brilliant Rohit Sharma century and Ashwin’s fifer, but were struggling at 106-6 when Ashwin came into bat.
He stitched together a partnership with Virat Kohli to extend India’s lead with an attacking display of batting, before the hosts comfortably bowled out England to level the series.
Seeing India home vs Bangladesh, Mirpur, 2022With batting looking nearly impossible on a rank turner late in the Mirpur Test in December 2022, Ashwin came into bat at number nine with India reeling at 74-7. While they needed only 71 more runs, wickets were the problem, with only Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj in the hut.
Ashwin showed all his experience and nous on turning tracks, facing well against Bangladesh’s group of spinners as he joined forces with Shreyas Iyer to see out the match with no more damage. He attacked Mehidy Hasan Miraz, who had taken 5 of the 7 wickets in this innings, and scored 16 off his final over to seal the win. Ashwin’s 42* on the day remains the highest score by a number 9 or lower in a successful fourth innings chase in any Test match.
The counter-attack vs Bangladesh, Chennai, 2024Finally comes Ashwin’s knock in the ongoing Test match against Bangladesh, once again at his home ground of Chennai. With India falling behind at 144-6 after an excellent bowling performance from the visitors, Ashwin joined forces with Ravindra Jadeja to counter-attack and reverse India’s fortunes on day 1.
The pair put together a 199-run partnership to put India’s noses ahead of the match, with Ashwin showing an excellent level of control in his attacking innings. He finished with 113 runs in just 133 deliveries, completing a turnaround in the first innings and putting India in a very strong position going forward in this Test.
