Ravichandran Ashwin’s gritty ton in perhaps his last Test on home ground puts hosts in sight of series-levelling victory against England
India's Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates his century on Day Three of the second Test against England at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai yesterday. Pic/BCCI
The ongoing second Test against England is India’s first long-format tussle at the MA Chidambaram Stadium since December 2016, when they bested the same opposition. R Ashwin had a middling outing then, a fluent 67 barely compensating for match figures of 1 for 207.
Given how infrequently Chennai has hosted Tests over the last decade and the profusion of Test centres across the country, it’s possible that this could be the off-spinner’s last five-day game in the city of his birth. Five wickets in an innings on Day Two and a drought-shattering fifth century on Day Three, with the promise of happy hunting on Day Four, isn’t a bad way to wave goodbye.
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Ashwin’s batting has fallen off dramatically in the last four years, but he seems to have found a second wind following his admirable stonewalling in the Sydney stalemate last month.
On Monday, feeding off rediscovered confidence and sustained reaffirmation from batting coach Vikram Rathore, Ashwin turned the clock back with a command performance that has put India in an impregnable position.
Overnight 54 for one after leading by 195 on the first count, India quickly capitulated to 106 for six when Ashwin joined skipper Virat Kohli in the middle, a flurry of sweeps in tow. A stroke put away in cold storage for a long time was uncorked to tackle the need of the hour, and Ashwin showcased his adaptability by playing it with the dexterity of a past master.
“The last time I was sweeping was when I was 19 years old and hit a couple of sweep shots, and was dropped from the first XI,” he jested at the end of the day’s skirmishes that left India needing seven more wickets to level the series at 1-1.
“I never played the sweep for the last 13-14 years, but I have been practicing the shot for the last week to 10 days and am thankful the plan paid off. The wicket is such that you have to get your runs square of the wicket.”
Ashwin and Kohli put on 96 for the seventh wicket to spark a stunning revival that saw the last four wickets add 180. Kohli, who was magnificent in the second innings of the first Test too at the same venue, played well within himself, but his calming presence emboldened Ashwin to muscle the team to 286 when he was last man dismissed.
In a nervy 18 overs to stumps, England lost openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley, as well as nightwatchman Jack Leach, to stumble to 53 for three. They need 429, and a mega miracle, to get out of jail from here.
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