With a total of 12 wickets, Ravichandran Ashwin sews up the West Indian batting line up leading team India to win the first test by an innings and 141 runs. Taking advantage of the turning pitch, both the Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja didn’t let any Caribbean batsmen settle at any moment. Ravichandran Ashwin foxed the batters with his variations.
Paras Mhambrey lauds off-spinner Ashwin.
The maiden century maker in his debut match, Yashasvi Jaiswal, received the Player of the Match award for his innings of 171, which paved the way for India’s stable hold over the match. But it was Ashwin’s turning bowl which not only demolished the West Indian batting attack, but demoralized the team and never allowed them to get back in the game.
“As a team we realise how valuable R Ashwin is. In my opinion he is one of the greatest match-winners for India. There have been very few match-winners like him. The number of matches he has helped us win what can I say. When we came here on Day 1, it was a bit dry and when we checked the stats of the local games we found out that spinners dominated in those games.” India’s bowling coach spoke to the media.
With a total scalp of 12 Carribean batsmen, the off spinner finished with his best overseas figures of 21.3-7-71-7 to bowl the home side out for 130 in the second innings. He also took 5 wickets in the first innings giving away 60 runs.
Ashwin with a series of records
The off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin registered his 8th Ten-wicket match hauls in Test cricket. This record is jointly shared by Anil Kumble and Ashwin. Only four bowlers are ahead of the Indian duo.
This was also 34th Five-wicket hauls in Tests for Ashwin. He is only one behind Kumble’s 35. Ashwin now also shares the fifth place for most five-wicket hauls in Tests with Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath.
Bowling Coach praises batters for giving a steady platform.
Paras Mhambrey also applauded the batters for paving the game for the bowlers. The former Indian seamer added:
“We felt as the game progresses it will be difficult for batting and the other thing is how we use the wicket. They have batted and we have batted as well and there were situations where teams could have batted for longer periods which we did. That created the base for the bowlers to later come and perform. The way Ashwin and Jadeja came on later and bowled is praiseworthy.”
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