Ravichandran Ashwin will be proud when he takes the field for India in the fifth and final Test against England on March 7. He will enter the list of the selective Indians who have played 100 or more test matches in their careers.
Ashwin has been a part of 99 games so far and needs just 1 game to join the game’s legends. Cheteshwar Pujara, who has already experienced this glory, welcomed his teammate to the list in style. He penned a special note for one of the best off-spinners to celebrate the success of the Tamil Nadu-based player in the most extended format of the game.
“Having just become the second quickest bowler to take 500 Test wickets. Ash now deserves another equally significant landmark off 100 Tests. He is probably a little late getting there for various reasons. But I am really happy for him. He has always been ready to take on the challenge and do the hard yards for the team,” Cheteshwar Pujara wrote.
Meanwhile, Ashwion will be the 14th Indian cricketer to complete a century of red-ball matches in international cricket.
Sachin Tendulkar (200), Rahul Dravid (163), VVS Laxman (134), Anil Kumble (132), Kapil Dev (131), Sunil Gavaskar (125), Dilip Vengsarkar (116), Sourav Ganguly (113), Virat Kohli (113), Ishant Sharma (105), Harbhajan Singh (103), Cheteshwar Pujara (103) and Virender Sehwag (103) have entered the club in the past.
In 99 Tests, Ashwin has taken 507 wickets at an average of 23.91, with 35 five-wicket hauls and eight ten-wicket hauls.
