Page 48 - The Indian EYE 021921

SPORTS February 19, 2021 | The Indian Eye 48

enGLand in india

how homeboy ravi ashwin realized

his dream at chennai

The off-spinner takes an eight-wicket haul in the second Test, along with his 106-run

knock in the second innings as India register an emphatic 317-run win

Our Bureau

Chennai

ndia levelled the four-match
Test series 1-1 against En-
Igland after an emphatic 317-
run win in the second Test here
at the MA Chidambaram Stadi-
um on Tuesday. India remains in
contention to make the final of
the ICC World Test Champion-
ship after completing an impres-
sive victory over England in the
second Test to draw level in the
four-match series.
The player who stood out in
the crucial match was R Ashwin
who was playing on his home
ground.
After winning the Player of
the Match award for his perfor- Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates his century during the 3rd at MA Chidambaram Stadium,
mance in the second Test against in Chennai on Monday. (ANI Photo/BCCI Twitter)
England, Ravichandran Ashwin
on Tuesday thanked the Chennai win came out with flying colours hit a 200 and I took 12 wickets.” Moeen Ali) in the second innings.
crowd for making him feel like a picking eight wickets and scoring “That was a different feeling “It was important to stay
hero. Ashwin took an eight-wick- his fifth Test ton. altogether but this time it was along with the team when it’s
et haul in the second Test, along “During the COVID lock- something else. Taking wickets is playing well. My job was to keep
with his 106-run knock in the sec- down I practiced a lot with good but my century is something control, contain runs from one
ond innings as India registered throwing balls on the ball and else as it came after five years. end, and chip in as one of the
an emphatic 317-run win here then batting to improve my drive Many people were frustrated as three spinners on this track. We
at the MA Chidambaram Stadi- and footwork and it became they thought we have batting abil- have been planning for this series
um on Tuesday. “I can’t express good and everything just added ities but were not able to live up for a long time, right from the
how I feel right now, but I am so up when I hit the century. The to the expectations. The problem Australia series. There was some
very grateful to each and every- reactions were natural,” Ashwin is everyone has an opinion nowa- pressure, having not played a
one who has wished me over the said during the post-match pre- days, they don’t think how a bats- lot of Tests in the last two years.
last few days. I would also like to sentation after India’s win. man is thinking what kind of help Was discussing a lot with Ashwin
thank the #KnowledgableChen- Ashwin was the show-stopper does he require,” Ashwin added. regarding bowling in right areas
naiCrowd for turning up in num- for India on the third day as he After registering the win and putting the pressure on the
bers and making me feel like a bagged a crucial wicket of opener against England, spinner batsmen,” Kuldeep told host
hero,” Ashwin tweeted. Rory Burns after hitting the cen- Kuldeep Yadav on Tuesday re- broadcaster Star Sports after the
Ashwin on Tuesday also re- tury. The right-arm spinner truly vealed that he had discussions conclusion of the second Test.
vealed that he had toiled hard relished the moment as soon as he with Ashwin regarding bowling “We weren’t worried after
during the coronavirus enforced reached his hundred. Describing in the right areas. Kuldeep had losing the first Test, we have
lockdown last year to improve the feeling Ashwin said, “It was not played a single Test against been in such situations before,
his batting and footwork. Ashwin my dream to play a Test match Australia in the 2020-21 series in my first series in 2017, we had
hit a match-winning hundred on in Chepauk and I never thought and he did not feature in the first lost the first Test against Austra-
Monday as India scored 286 runs I would play a Test here and Test against England as well. The lia in Pune. We’re relaxed, we
in their second innings. A pitch fans will cheer for me. I played spinner finally played in the sec- knew we had the team to come
where all England cricketers my first Test here in 2013 when ond Test, and he was able to take back and perform. Everyone was
struggled to find their feet, Ash- Dhoni (Mahendra Singh Dhoni) two wickets (Ben Foakes and Continued on next page... >>

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