Saurashtra batter Cheteshwar Pujara has praised Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of his 100th Test match, highlighting Ashwin’s fitness and describing him as one of the fittest cricketers, despite the spinner turning 37 years old. Ravichandran Ashwin is often termed as the scientist of spin bowling as he has got a lot of variations.
Ravichandran Ashwin will become the 14th Indian player to reach the milestone of playing 100 Test matches. Since his debut in 2011, the 37-year-old has established himself as one of India’s premier match-winners, particularly in home conditions. Ashwin has also showcased his batting prowess, scoring five Test centuries, with three of them coming in matches played in India.
Ravichandran Ashwin is probably one of the fittest I have known- Cheteshwar Pujara
In his column for ESPNCricinfo, Cheteshwar Pujara stated that Ravichandran Ashwin possesses the remarkable ability to maintain his intensity, even if he has bowled 35-40 overs the previous day.
“When you are playing the longer format, bowling fitness is the most important thing, and Ash is probably one of the fittest I have known. If he ends up bowling 30, 35, 40 overs in a day, when he bowls again the next morning, his body might be a little fatigued, but he still has the stamina to carry on,” he said.
The Veteran batter noted that Ravichandran Ashwin’s mind is exceptionally sharp, jokingly suggesting that no one could win an argument against the off-spinner.
“We became close friends by talking cricket. Most times we are on the same side, but you can never win an argument against him. He is very smart, and his vocabulary is probably among the best in the cricketing fraternity. I wish I had his incredible memory. That is probably because he has a mind that is always ticking. Away from cricket, he is a voracious reader, enjoys chess online, and is open to learning new things,” he added.
Despite facing pressure at times during the series against England, Ravichandran Ashwin has managed to pick up 17 wickets in four Tests. He currently stands as the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the series.
Bangalore Test ranks high among the most memorable ones- Cheteshwar Pujara on Ravichandran Ashwin’s best Test
Pujara highlighted Ashwin’s contributions as a crucial support player in India’s victories and listed some of his standout performances. He rated Ashwin’s display against Australia in Bengaluru in 2017 as the best. He said,
“More than making individual runs, he has contributed to valuable partnerships. Take our stand in the first innings in 2018 in Adelaide, which was crucial to our win in that Test, which set up the series,”
“When it comes to my favourite Test involving Ash, there are too many to just single one out. There’s Bangalore 2017. Adelaide 2018. Sydney 2021. All these were against Australia. Overall, and Ash would agree, those of us who played the Bangalore Test believe it ranks high among the most memorable ones,”
He’s probably a little late getting there but deserves it the most- Cheteshwar Pujara ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin’s 100th Test
Pujara expressed his belief that Ashwin deserves the milestone of playing 100 Tests, praising the spinner for his fearless approach in taking on every challenge that comes his way. Pujara furthermore stated,
“Having just become the second quickest bowler to 500 Test wickets, Ash now deserves another equally significant landmark – of 100 Tests. He’s probably a little late getting there for various reasons. But I am really happy for him. He is someone who has always been ready to take the challenge on and do the hard yards for the team. He deserves it the most,”
Alongside Ravichandran Ashwin, England’s Jonny Bairstow will also play his 100th Test in Dharamsala.
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