Ashwin & Bairstow join elite 100-Test club: India’s veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin achieved a significant milestone at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association stadium in Dharamsala as he became the 14th Indian player to participate in 100 Test matches. This landmark solidified his place among elite players, marking a remarkable journey since his Test debut in 2011.
In addition to Ravichandran Ashwin, Jonny Bairstow of England is also marking his 100th Test match appearance for his country.
Rahul Dravid, the head coach of India, honored Ashwin’s remarkable career by presenting him with a unique memento during his 100th Test match.
Ashwin was accompanied by his wife, Prithi, and their daughters for the special occasion. During this event, he presented the debut cap to Devdutt Paddikal.
Ashwin & Bairstow join elite 100-Test club
Jonny Bairstow celebrates his 100th Test appearance for England in Dharamsala during the fifth Test against India, marking his entry into the prestigious elite 100-Test club. Following in the footsteps of skipper Ben Stokes, who achieved this milestone in the Ranchi Test match last month, Bairstow becomes the 77th player overall and the 17th from England to reach this landmark.
Ashwin also reached the coveted milestone of 500 Test wickets in Rajkot, making him only the second Indian to achieve this feat. Reflecting on his achievement, Ashwin expressed his unwavering desire for excellence, a trait ingrained in him since his early cricketing days in Chennai.
Anil Kumble is the only Indian bowler and overall, the fourth to take above 500 test wickets. After great leg-spinner Kumble, veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin became the second Indian bowler and the ninth overall to achieve 500 wickets in Test cricket. He accomplished this feat in just 98 Test matches and also became the second fastest 500 wicket-taker in World test cricket. For him, this is a massive career milestone.
Ashwin had said during the Rajkot Test, “The desire to excel hasn’t changed, wanting to keep on evolving as a cricketer, that’s something that’s been organic to me right from my club cricket days in Chennai.”
Ashwin said, ‘If I am under pressure, I try to put the opposition under five times as much.’
During the Ranchi Test match, Ashwin further showcased his prowess by recording his 35th five-wicket haul, matching the legendary Anil Kumble’s record for the most five-fors by an Indian in Test cricket.
Notably, Ashwin also joined an exclusive club by achieving 500 wickets in fewer than 100 Test matches, a feat previously accomplished only by Muttiah Muralidaran.
His achievement places him alongside some of India’s greatest cricketers who have played over 100 Test matches, with Cheteshwar Pujara being the most recent addition before him. While Sachin Tendulkar holds the international record with 200 Test matches.
Along with Bairstow and Ben Stokes, Joe Root and James Anderson stand as the only other active England players with over 100 Test caps. Bairstow debuted as a test batter in 2012 at Lord’s.
Throughout his Test career, Bairstow has amassed 5974 runs at an average of 36.42, including 12 centuries. Additionally, he has taken 242 catches and executed 14 stumpings in this format.
Ashwin has become the 14th player to reach the milestone of playing 100 Test matches for India. He now joins a list of legendary cricketers such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virat Kohli, Ishant Sharma, Harbhajan Singh and Cheteshwar Pujara.
Sachin Tendulkar posted on X, “It’s a historic day in Dharamsala as @ashwinravi99 and @jbairstow21 don the international whites for the 100th time. An incredible achievement that speaks volumes about their passion and perseverance for red-ball cricket. I wish them both a fantastic game ahead!”
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