R Ashwin’s 100th Test: This spring, at home, the romance of Test cricket has blossomed. The focus of the four unquestionably exciting Test matches of cricket has been on the entry of young players for Team India. After the victory in Ranchi, captain Rohit Sharma summed up his feelings in a few words: “One needs to be passionate about playing Test cricket for the country.”
The highlight of this series has been the influx of young players, like Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Akash Deep, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who have demonstrated what it means to be a red-ball cricket enthusiast. Of course, it confuses fans to say that Shubman Gill, 24, is still a young man. He’s been here for a few years and has consistently demonstrated his mettle.
R Ashwin’s 100th Test:
What happens to some of the “oldies” then? The fifth Test, which begins on March 7, will take place in the picturesque town of Dharamsala, with the Test series against England already decided. This may be an academic match, but how R Ashwin plays his 100th Test becomes important in a series where the stakes have been high and Bazball has been buried.
As learned as Sunil Manohar Gavaskar was, he even went so far as to suggest that Ashwin ought to be given the opportunity to lead in the Dharamsala Test. These remarks, made prior to the Ranchi game’s victory, said so much. Gavaskar isn’t renowned for his use of hyperbole or rhetoric.
In his mid-seventies, Gavaskar has witnessed generations of cricket players. It is truly remarkable that he would give Ashwin this kind of status. The former captain of India was a well-respected columnist who was honest and direct long before he became a household name behind the TV mic.
Veterans at work:
Indian cricket is fortunate to have witnessed artists at work, especially for those who have grown up witnessing off-spin and how it can captivate batsmen. For the younger fans of today, who rely on cricket websites to relive, recapture, and experience the enchantment of past performers, nothing compares to witnessing the cunning masters of off-spin, S Venkataraghavan and EAS Prasanna holding prime position.
The senior pro was known as Pras, the master of deception, looping, and flight. Whether viewed through binoculars or with the unaided eye, his off-spin was truly remarkable. Back then, cricket was all romance, and people came to watch characters because of their elegance and charisma.
Prasanna was a great master who led a modest and straightforward life. He came from a time when Indian spin bowling was maybe even more powerful than Diwali bombs. Despite not being a loud celebrator, Prasanna claimed 189 Test wickets in 49 games.
The precision and accuracy of Venkataraghavan’s off-spin was well-known; it was akin to watching a scientist in the lab. After he adjusted the red ball and let it go, old-timers recount how he was able to keep landing the ball on a 25-paise coin. He went on to become a well-liked Test umpire after taking 156 wickets in 57 Test matches.
The senior pros:
Following these two was Harbhajan Singh, a man who made headlines for a variety of reasons. He was known by many as Bhajji, but he was no ordinary official. It was a great honour to have played for India during the Anil Kumble era and claimed 417 wickets in 103 Test matches. He was captained by Sourav Ganguly during his early years, and Ganguly had great faith in him.
Regretfully, he also gained notoriety for his controversies, and with the introduction of the Indian Premier League, he began to lose his spark. He became more consistent and his loop disappeared.
You will be compared when you succeed as an off-spinner in Indian cricket. Perhaps not with veteran players like Prasanna and Venkat, but Ashwin the newsmaker is undoubtedly conscious of his significance to Indian cricket. It was a huge deal when he was close to reaching the 500-wicket threshold in Test cricket.
After he succeeded, he had to take a plane from Rajkot to Chennai to visit his sick mother. Ashwin’s act of commitment and passion in returning to Rajkot for his national duty after putting his emotions aside demonstrated how much he loves playing for India.
He has over 12 years of impeccable and pure Test cricket experience. Numerous emotions surround his 100th test. It’s incredible to be able to play so many matches in a time of wear and tear.
The ruthless trolls might claim that he bowls and takes wickets exclusively at home. Please excuse those who are writing such garbage; Ashwin is among India’s most intelligent off-spinners. He has bad luck in not being more well-known. Also, he hasn’t received the best care possible. He never got the chance to be captain, and a lot of hurtful things have been said about him, ranging from attitude to fitness.
Ashwin at his best:
Although Ashwin has played in many different forms of cricket, his most memorable performances have come in Test matches. In spite of this, he has frequently gone unnoticed as India’s starting spinner when touring other countries. This is by no means an attempt to disparage captains or think tanks in any way.
Perhaps his failure to become the captain of India was fate or karma. If you follow Ashwin’s Tamil YouTube channel, though, people who know him well will tell you that he has an incredibly sharp mind and a great sense of humour.
Ashwin has been a creator as well as a destroyer in Test cricket. He is capable of coming up with tricks and bowling with both new and old balls. If Bhajji brought fame to the doosra, Ashwin would be unmatched in his repertory. Take note of his grip and the various finger positions he uses to invoke magic. He is a batter’s nightmare due to his variety and unpredictable nature.
For this reason, it is essential that Ashwin be excited for his 100th Test. Anil Kumble played 132 Tests, VVS Laxman played 134, and Sachin Tendulkar played 200. Not so simple for a bowler. Since Ashwin has played in every format, his 100th red-ball cap statistically places him in the same league as speedster Ishant Sharma and Bhajji.
As the fifth Test match draws near, Ashwin will come into greater focus now that the series is decided. There’s nothing like Dharamsala cricket for fans of the longest format, which is as divine as the surrounding hills for them.
So, this was all about the R Ashwin’s 100th Test. Also read, Leaked video of Shreyas Iyer proves he is shooting an IPL ad.
