How R Ashwin, who went to USA to study batting dynamics between baseball and cricket, counterattacked his way at Chennai Test against Bangladesh | Cricket News

On the eve of the Test, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir was asked whether he has plans to develop a seam-bowling all-rounder. In his true characteric style, he would make a clear cut comment. “If we don’t have it, we don’t have it. We still have quality all-rounders, we have to manage Ashwin, Jadeja, Axar,” he would say. And on his first day at office of the Test side, it was India’s two priceless all-rounders – R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja – who dug them out of a hole at 144/6 and end Day 1 at 339 for six.Half way into the opening day of the Test after Bangladesh won the toss opted to bowl, the total seemed out of India’s reach. With the MA Chidambaram Stadium surface offering movement and good bounce, Bangladesh seamers made the most out of it with India’s batting line-up also making their job easy with some loose shots.
But in home conditions, especially in the last decade it is the contribution from the lower-order batsmen that involves the spin-bowling all-rounders that has made them invincible. And on Thursday, it was the two familiar faces – localite Ashwin and Chennai Super Kings’ Jadeja – who once again came to India’s rescue, like they have done repeatedly in the past.

A Heroic HUNDRED in 📸📸 @ashwinravi99, that was special 👌👌
Scorecard – https://t.co/jV4wK7BgV2#INDvBAN | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/J70CPRHcH5
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 19, 2024
But the unbroken seventh wicket stand of 195 was far their most counter-attacking, dominating partnership of all. The two refer to each other on their Instagram handles as Indran, Chandran inspired the dual roles played Superstar Rajnikanth in the movie Thillu, Mullu (Golmaal remake). In many ways, they are the inseparable twins in this India’s Test dominance. And it was Bangladesh’s turn to experience it first-hand.
Over the last few years, Jadeja has overtaken Ashwin, the batsman. If it comes down to choosing one among the two in overseas conditions, it is Jadeja that India lean towards. At home, there are no such compulsions. The two can thrive together with both ball and bat, but it was an innings where Ashwin showed he isn’t behind Jadeja any means with the bat.
When Ashwin walked-in in the 43rd over in the post-lunch session – with his family and his friends from Ramakrishnapuram 1st street in attendance – it was going to be a make or break moment for India. Having chosen to play just two spinners, one more wicket, and India were into their tail. On a pitch where India’s batsmen looked a bit hesitant, Ashwin had read the pitch well. Off the second delivery he faced, he brought out a boundary with a back-foot punch through the covers.
“It’s an old-school Chennai surface with bounce and carry. When there is width, you can give it a tonk. Love playing when there is bounce and carry, enjoyed myself today,” Ashwin would say later. And, he did enjoy.
Over the last year or so, he has been putting extra effort with the bat, even flying to Seattle to study the baseball mechanism in bat and ball. And speaking on his YouTube channel ahead of the Test, he seemed to have a perfect hang of the pitch.

A stellar TON when the going got tough!
A round of applause for Chennai’s very own – @ashwinravi99 👏👏
LIVE – https://t.co/jV4wK7BgV2 #INDvBAN @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/j2HcyA6HAu
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 19, 2024
And once he picked up his first boundary, Ashwin counter-attacked his way out. Whenever Bangladesh attack offered width, taking a leaf out of Rishabh Pant, he went hard with his horizontal bat shots on the off-side. And when their pacers dished in the short-ball and bouncers, he happily used the pull-shot that he picked from gully cricket to good effect. On a pitch where he had to rely on the back-foot strokes he trusted the bounce and fetched boundaries on either side of the square. Seven of his 10 boundaries came between covers and third-man. His pull brought him the three boundaries on the leg-side and two sixes against spinners ended up in the mid-wicket region. Just three singles came in the V, when the fielders were pushed back when the spinners operated. It also helped Ashwin that he had good outing in the TNPL with the bat, including three successive fifties in the play-offs and final.
“Jadeja was of real help, there was a point where I was sweating and tiring but Jaddu helped me through the phase. He’s been solid and one of our best batters. He told me we don’t have to convert twos into threes, which was useful for me,” he told the broadcasters.

1️⃣5️⃣0️⃣-run partnership between @ashwinravi99 and @imjadeja and it takes #TeamIndia past the 3️⃣0️⃣0️⃣-run mark. 💪💪 #TeamIndia https://t.co/jV4wK7BOKA… #INDvBAN @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/G6gZ7kmlAQ
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 19, 2024
As Ashwin went on the attack in the initial stage of the stand, Jadeja was prepared enough to drop anchor. It was only in the final session did Jadeja upped his ante, especially against the spinners. Once he found the rhythm, Jadeja was equally punishing picking up as many boundaries and sixes as Ashwin. With his range being restrictive but temperamentally more solid and patient, he waited for Bangladesh attack to feed into his arc and when they did, he made full use of it.

Prior to the Test Ashwin said he wanted to create memories at the MA Chidambaram stadium. And having already made each of his four Tests at his home ground memorable, he created more memories on Day 1 of what possibly could be his last Test at Chepauk with his Chandran his side.