KEY STORY
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Senior Indian off-spinner R Ashwin continued his dream run in Tests for India as after a memorable show in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the seasoned campaigner carried his form into the home series against England.
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On Day 3 of the 2nd Test against England, Ashwin – who claimed a five-wicket haul against Joe Root’s men in the first innings, followed it with a sensational hundred on his home ground.
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As wickets kept tumbling from one end, Ashwin continued to show his batting prowess as he entertained the home crowd with some brilliant strokes. Batting on 99, Ashwin charged down the wicket to Moeen Ali and got an edge which flew past the third man for a boundary.
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Ashwin brought his fifth hundred for Team India and it had come under challenging circumstances on a track which was a rank turner.
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With his all-round performance against England, Ashwin also achieved a unique feat as he became the first player since 1966 after Sir Garfield Sobers (at Headingley) to score a century and claim a five-wicket haul in the same match against England.
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Ashwin also moved to the second spot in the list of players with the most number of tons and five-wicket hauls in the same match. While legendary England all-rounder Ian Botham achieved the feat on five occasions, Ashwin is now ranked 2nd in the list having reached the landmark on three occasions.
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Gary Sobers, Mushtaq Mohammad, Jacques Kallis and Shakib-Al-Hasan are ranked third having achieved the feat twice.
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Ashwin’s first Test hundred against England strengthened India’s grip in the 2nd Test. Ashwin was the last wicket to fall for India in the second innings as he was clean bowled by Olly Stone.
Cricket fraternity lauds R Ashwin
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Several current and former cricketers doffted their hats to Ashwin’s performance as he produced one of the most memorable knocks of his career on a track where some of the best batsmen struggled to get going.
- “Well played, just a terrific knock that was on a tough spinning surface! India has now made 614 runs with one wicket in hand,” tweeted Shane Warne.
“Ruthless performance by @ashwinravi99!!! India has so many more skilled players for these conditions. High class .. #INDvENG,” wrote former England skipper Michael Vaughan.
Well played, just a terrific knock that was on a tough spinning surface ! India have now made 614 runs with one wicket in hand https://t.co/vWWcNGrX49
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) February 15, 2021
United diagnosticss
Ruthless performance by @ashwinravi99 !!! India have so many more skilled players for these conditions .. High class .. #INDvENG
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 15, 2021
