India’s premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has developed into quite a reliable all-rounder over the years. The Tamil Nadu cricketer’s crucial knocks have bailed out India from many difficult situations and on Friday, the lower order batter proved his worth once again.
Ashwin struck his 11th Test fifty on Day 2 of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo. With his fifty, the tweaker also completed 2000 runs in Tests. In the process, Ashwin also achieved an unique Test double – 2000 runs and 250 wickets in Test cricket. The Indian cricketer is the fastest to reach the feat.
He recorded the Test double in his 51st Test and has surpassed some of the biggest names- Richard Hadlee, Ian Botham and Imran Khan. Hadlee, who previously held the record had achieved it in 54 Test matches. Imran and Botham – the joint third fastest – had done it in 55 matches.
Ashwin is also the fourth Indian after Kapil Dev, Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble to do so.
He joined Ajinkya Rahane in the middle on the second day after the loss of Cheteshwar Pujara. The duo put up a partnership of 63 runs to stabilise India’s innings as they declared after posting 622.
Sri Lanka ended the second day’s play at 50/2 and trail by 572 runs.
Feature image: Reuters