I make living by bowling, batting comes naturally: Ravichandran Ashwin

Chennai: Veteran spin bowling allrounder Ravichandran Ashwin completed his fourth double of a hundred and a five-for in the same Test to take India to a 1-0 series lead against Bangladesh on Sunday.

"Every time I play in Chennai, it's an amazing feeling for me. I have watched a lot of Test cricket and international cricket sitting in those stands. I am probably enjoying my play because of what I am doing. It was an opportunity to fight and dig deep. I kept it simple; I have to thank Jadeja who helped me," said Ashwin after the match.

The 38-year-old allrounder hit a brilliant counterattacking hundred to take India to a strong position at stumps on day one Test. India found themselves in trouble at 144/6. Ashwin then stepped in and batted with confidence, notching up his 6th Test century. His vital 199-run partnership with Jadeja (86) helped India recover and post a total of 376.

"Quite a special knock, didn't sink in till day two. I make a living by bowling. Bowling comes first. Batting is something that comes naturally. Over the last few years, I have tried to compartmentalise. Glad I ended up with a few wickets today as well. I make a living by bowling, so bowling comes first all the time.

"I think like a bowler mostly but I have made a conscious effort to think like a batter when I walk out with a bat in my hand. Batting is something that comes naturally but yet I have struggled sometimes with my thoughts getting ahead of myself. I have tried to manage it. Over the last few years, I have managed to compartmentalize both, but it is a work in process," he added.

With his ton, Ashwin equalled MS Dhoni's career tally of six Test centuries, achieving the same in two innings lesser than the legendary former captain. Batting at No.8, Ashwin now has four Test centuries, the most for anyone after Daniel Vettori, who has five, according to ICC stats. IANS

Ashwin’s feat

4 Instances of R Ashwin scoring a century and bagging a five-wicket haul in the same Test - only behind Ian Botham's five such doubles. Ashwin became the first player to achieve the feat at the same venue twice - his home ground in Chennai in this instance - after having done so previously against England in 2021.

 Century and five-fer in a Test for India:

Player      Century Five-fer      Against    Venue            Season

Vinoo Mankad       184      5/196      Eng  Lord's           1952

Polly Umrigar      172*     5/107      WI   Port of Spain    1961/62

R Ashwin     103      5/156      WI   Wankhede   2011/12

R Ashwin     113      7/83 WI   North Sound      2016

R Ashwin     106      5/43 Eng  Chennai          2020/21

Ravindra Jadeja175*   5/41 SL   Mohali           2021/22

Ravindra Jadeja 112   5/41 Eng  Rajkot           2022/23

R Ashwin     113      6/88 Ban  Chennai          2023/24

37 five-wicket hauls for Ashwin in 101 Tests which draws him level on the second position alongside Shane Warne who took 145 Tests to get there. Only one bowler in Test cricket has more - Muttiah Muralidaran with 67 from 133 matches.

99 Wickets taken by Ashwin in the fourth innings - the most by a bowler for India surpassing Anil Kumble's tally of 94. This was his seventh five-fer for Ashwin in the fourth innings of Tests - joint second most alongside Warne and Muralidaran and only behind Rangana Herath's 12.

10 Player of the match awards for Ashwin in 101 Test appearances - joint third most for India alongside Ravindra Jadeja (73), Virat Kohli (114), and Anil Kumble (132). Only Sachin Tendulkar (14 in 200) and Rahul Dravid (11 in 163) have won it on more instances than Ashwin's ten for India.

Also Read: Jaddu helped me through a phase where I was not focusing enough, says Ravichandran Ashwin

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