New Delhi: With the recent emphatic win in the first Test bagged by the Indian cricket team against Bangladesh in Chennai, the duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja has yet again displayed why they are a crucial asset for the Indian cricket team and will probably continue to remain as such till they decide to hang their boots. Although other Indian players shone in the match as well, the two spin-allrounders were the wreckers-in-chief in claiming a 280-run win.
When it comes to Test cricket, the pair barely sees any competition as they wreak havoc on the opponents by weaving webs with their spin, regardless of the “favourable” pitch conditions. They have immensely helped India in the current World Test Championship (WTC) cycle (2023-25) and moreover have been ruling the Indian soil for the last 11 years which has seen the sheer dominance of the team in Test cricket.
Stats don’t lie!
It is to be noted that India last lost a home Test series back in 2012, but it seems the team has made it a habit of not giving away anymore (so far) afterward. It has been more than 4300 days since India were downed in a home Test series. In this span, the team played 52 Test matches out of which the Ashwin-Jadeja duo were a part of 45 games. Both have had such an impact on the Indian team that they only lost only three of those 45 games.
While one might enjoy the partnerships built by batters in cricket, Ashwin and Jadeja bring a similar energy while bowling. It is indeed a treat to watch them bowl specially when they are working in tandem and bowl quick overs, barely giving batters a chance to take a sigh.
It is noteworthy that while scripting success for India, both have combinedly scalped 553 wickets in the last 54 Tests which is the second-most wickets taken by a spin duo. Both are only behind Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya who combinedly have 667 wickets to their credit.
‘All-rounders’ for a reason
There’s a reason why there is a genuine scarcity of “good” all-rounders in the nation and why a cricket player majorly comes with a sole role i.e. batter or bowler. While one might argue that all-rounders can be spotted in domestic cricket, they hardly make it to the Indian cricket team which highlights the strenuous criteria they are put through for pursuing two roles.
When it comes to Ashwin and Jadeja, their Test numbers make it clear how dangerous they are. 38-year-old Ashwin has hit 3422 runs in Tests at an average of 26.94 with the help of six centuries and 14 fifties. Meanwhile, Jadeja has scored 3122 runs in Tests for India at an average of 36.73, belting four centuries and 21 half-centuries.
Talking about bowling, Ashwin has picked 522 wickets in Tests so far at an average of 23.7 that brims with 37 five-wicket hauls. Meanwhile, 35-year-old Jadeja has 299 Test wickets, the average being 23.99, and has 13 fifers to his credit.
Jadeja on the cusp of stellar feat
To date, only 10 players grace an elite list that boasts the magical feat of 3000 runs and 300 wickets in Tests. Ashwin is already a part of the 10-member club and Jadeja has an opportunity to join it and become its 11th member. For this, the Kanpur Test will be crucial for the veteran all-rounder.
Drawing his first blood in the Kanpur game against Bangladesh will make Jadeja 300 Test wickets strong, making him enter the elite club of players with 3000 runs and 300 wickets in Test cricket. This will also mark a rare instance where it would be for the very first time in the history of Test cricket that two players from this club will be a part of India’s playing XI.
The nation will eagerly await the milestone in the second Test that begins in Kanpur on September 27.
Team India has its own charisma on the home soil and to overcome their prowess in Tests is next to impossible. It is the players who make Indian cricket a force to be reckoned with, of which the combination of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja is a crucial part for this stellar achievement. Here’s a look at how they have been impeccable for India at home. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
