R Ashwin called time on his international career across all formats on Wednesday. He finished with 537 Test wickets, 156 ODI wickets, and 72 T20I wickets, along with 5 Test centuries. As Ashwin calls time on his career, here is a look back at some of his best performances in an India jersey:
Ravichandran Ashwin spun a web around the Aussies.
| Photo Credit:
K. Murali Kumar
Ravichandran Ashwin spun a web around the Aussies.
| Photo Credit:
K. Murali Kumar
6-41 vs Australia, Bengaluru, 2017
One of Ashwin’s finest performances in an India jersey came in the second Test of the 2017 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Bengaluru. India came into the match on the back foot, having lost the first Test in Pune courtesy of a Steve O’Keefe 12-for.
The second Test appeared to be going no better, as India surrendered an 89-run lead before setting Australia a target of 188. Australia began its chase well, reaching 42-1, before Ashwin entered the picture. He trapped David Warner LBW, and then proceeded to run through the Australian batting line-up. He ended with figures of 6-41 in 12 overs, and Australia was bowled out for 112, 75 runs short of their target.
8-96 vs England, Chennai, 2021
Ashwin holds the record for the most Player of the Series awards in Tests (11), but ahead of England’s 2021 tour of India, he had not won one since 2017. India was then soundly beaten in the First Test of the series as Joe Root scored a double century, and the pressure was on. Enter the master.
Playing at his home ground, he began by dismantling the England batting line-up in its first innings to secure a 195-run first innings lead. In the third innings, India fell to 106-6, but Ashwin steered the side to a 481-run lead by batting with the tail and scoring his fifth Test century.
India’s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin reacts after taking the wicket of unseen Australia cricketer Shane Watson during their Cricket World Cup quarter-final match against India at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 24, 2011. AFP PHOTO/MANAN VATSYAYANA
| Photo Credit:
MANAN VATSYAYANA
India’s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin reacts after taking the wicket of unseen Australia cricketer Shane Watson during their Cricket World Cup quarter-final match against India at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 24, 2011. AFP PHOTO/MANAN VATSYAYANA
| Photo Credit:
MANAN VATSYAYANA
10-0-52-2 vs Australia, Ahmedabad, 2011
Ashwin may be the holder of 537 Test wickets, but he initially broke through as a white-ball bowler. One of his most critical early performances came in the quarterfinals of the 2011 World Cup against Australia.
With its place in the tournament on the line, Australia batted first and threatened to get away from India on multiple occasions. Ashwin struck first to remove Shane Watson early, before removing Ricky Ponting towards the end of the innings. His frugal spell and timely wickets were critical in keeping Australia down to 260 in their 50 overs, a target that India would chase down comfortably.
4-1-15-2 vs England, Birmingham, 2013
Ahmedabad was not Ashwin’s only crucial spell in an ICC tournament. Rain forced the final of the 2013 Champions Trophy to be curtailed to a 20-over shootout, and Ashwin’s contributions in the game would prove decisive. Defending 129 in 20 overs (a chase which would be a cakewalk by modern T20 standards), he took the major wickets of Jonathan Trott and Joe Root to put England on the backfoot in its chase.
However, come the start of the 18th over, Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara had threatened to turn the game back in favour of the hosts. Ashwin held on to two sharp catches to dismiss both batters, before delivering a nerveless final over to secure the trophy for India.
FILE PHOTO: Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates getting the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne during day three of the second Test against Australia at MCG, Melbourne, on December 28, 2020.
FILE PHOTO: Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates getting the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne during day three of the second Test against Australia at MCG, Melbourne, on December 28, 2020.
5-106 vs Australia, Melbourne, 2020
When talking about Ashwin’s contributions in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, his defiant resistance in Sydney is often first mentioned. However, just as remarkable is his miserly bowling performance in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne, where he went for just 106 runs across 61 overs in both innings, at an economy rate of 1.74.
He suffocated the Australian batters, taking five wickets in the process including Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and Tim Paine as India levelled up the series to 1-1 despite Virat Kohli’s absence.