India's spin king Ravichandran Ashwin is all set for a special homecoming, as he gets set to play his first Test at the M A Chidabaram stadium in Chennai after three-and-a-half years.
Ashwin enjoys a special connect with his home ground, where he has done well exceedingly well with both bat and ball.
In four Tests played in Chennai, he boasts of an impressive tally of 30 wickets at an average of 23, with four five wicket haul and a 10 wicket haul in eight innings. He has also contributed significantly with the bat with a century and a fifty.
The 37 year old made his Chennai Test debut, against Australia in 2013, as he made an immediate impact, picking up five wickets in both innings.
He took 7/103 in 42 overs in the first innings and claimed 5/95 in 32 overs in the second for a total of 12 wickets in the match as India won by eight wickets with Mahendra Singh Dhoni hitting 224, while Virat Kohli stroked 107.
He didn't enjoy a good return to Chennai three years later, when he managed just a single wicket against England in 2016 as he was outshone by spin partner Ravindra Jadeja, who took 10 wickets in the match.
Even though he didn't do much damage with the ball, Ashwin contributed with the bat with a fine knock of 67, putting on 181 runs for the sixth wicket with Karun Nair, who created history by becoming only the second Indian batter to hit a triple century in Tests, as he made an unbeaten 303.
Against the same opponents five years later, he showed his class with nine wickets in the match but India still suffered a 224 run hammering after their batters collapsed in the second innings.
Joe Root starred with the bat for England with a double century in his 100th Test as the visitors made most of batting first on a good wicket.
Ashwin brought India back into the contest after they conceded a huge first innings lead. The off-spinner ran through the English batting line-up, taking 6/61 in 17.3 overs, but the huge target of 420 proved a lot for the Indians who crumbled for 192 in their second innings on a tough pitch on the final day.
The COVID-19 restrictions in 2021 meant that the first two matches of the four Test series were played in Chennai. A week later, India sent England crashing back to earth courtesy of Ashwin's genius with the ball.
Ashwin took 5/43 in 23.5 overs to send England crashing for 134 in their first innings in reply to India's 329.
He then entertained the Chennai fans as he stroked his way to a splendid century to rescue India after a flurry of wickets.
Ashwin made 106 with 14 fours and a six, and his 96-run stand for the seventh wicket with Virat Kohli was instrumental in getting to 286 in their second innings.
With the ball too, he made an impact with 3/53 in the second innings, while Axar Patel claimed 5/60 to decimate England for 164 as India won by a huge margin of 317 runs.
Back in Chennai, Ashwin, who sets high standards for himself, would be keen to improve his record against Bangladesh, against whom he has taken 23 wickets in six Tests, with just one five wicket haul in 11 innings, at a strike rate of 53.
In the last Test series against Bangladesh in December 2022, he picked up seven wickets in the two Test series, with the the left-arm spin duo of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav picking up eight wickets each.
Ashwin boasts of a formidable record in India. His tally of 363 wickets in 60 Tests at an average of 21 is the most taken by any bowler in Tests in India. Overall, he is fourth on the list for most wickets in home Tests after Muttiah Muralitharan (493 wickets), James Anderson (438) and Stuart Broad (398).
A successful series will the ball will help Ashwin add another milestone to his name with most Test wickets by an active player. His great spin rival Nathan Lyon of Australia is the current highest wicket-taker among active players with 530 wickets in 129 Tests with Ashwin a close second on 516 wickets from 100 Tests.
Ashwin needs another four wickets to overtake Courtney Walsh (519 wickets) in the eighth spot for most wickets in Test cricket.
He has been in great form in Test cricket in the last few years with 141 wickets in 25 matches since January 2021.
Ashwin's record in Test cricket since January 2021:
In home conditions, he has been the standout bowler and his ability to pick wickets in a heap makes him quite dangerous. His record in the last few home series:
- 26 wickets in 5 Tests vs England in 2023-24
- 25 wickets in 4 Tests vs Australia in 2022-23
- 12 wickets in 2 Tests vs Sri Lanka in 2021-22
- 14 wickets in 2 Tests vs New Zealand in 2021-22
- 32 wickets in 4 Tests vs England in 2020-21
With the BCCI's rotational policy limiting Chennai to a Test match every 3 or 4 years, this could likely be Ashwin's last Test in front of home fans at Chepauk. No doubt, the spin great will aim for another match-winning performance on his home turf.
