Ravichandran Ashwin's 3 best spells in Tests in Australia
Seasoned Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket on Wednesday, December 18. Speaking at a press conference after the third Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane, the 38-year-old confirmed his retirement from international cricket.
The spin legend ended up playing 106 Tests in which he claimed 537 wickets at an average of 24, with 37 five-fers and eight 10-wicket match hauls. With the willow, he was handy in the lower order and scored 3,503 runs at an average of 25.75, with six hundreds and 14 fifties to his credit.
Like Indian legends Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and MS Dhoni, Ashwin also ended his Test career in Australia. In 11 Tests Down Under, he claimed 40 wickets at an average of 42.42. While the off-spinner did not possess a great record in Australia, he did come up with a few good bowling performances. In the wake of his retirement, we look back at Ashwin's three best spells in Tests Down Under.
#3 (3-57) - Adelaide, December 2018
Ashwin claimed 3-57 in India's first innings in Adelaide in the first Test of the 2018-19 tour, a match the visitors famously went on to win by 31 runs. Batting first, India put up 250 on the back of Cheteshwar Pujara's 123. Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah then picked up three scalps each, while Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami claimed two apiece as Team India bowled out the Aussies for 235.
Ashwin's first wicket was that of Marcus Harris (26). He had the opener caught at silly mid-off with a flighted delivery that drifted and skidded on. The inside edge went to the fielder off the pad. The off-spinner then cleaned up Shaun Marsh (2) with another flighted delivery that was bowled wide and forced the batter to drag his drive back onto the stumps.
The seasoned spinner had his third wicket of the innings when Usman Khawaja (28) was caught behind off a beauty. Ashwin got the ball to land on a length and spin away. Khawaja tried to smother the spin, but the ball flicked his glove and Indian keeper Rishabh Pant completed an excellent catch. Ashwin also claimed 3-92 from 52.5 overs as India bowled out Australia for 291 after setting them 323.
#2 (3-35) - Melbourne, December 2020
Ashwin impressed with figures of 3-35 in the first innings of the 2020 Boxing Test against Australia in Melbourne as India registered another famous triumph by eight wickets. Bowling first after losing the toss, India knocked over the Aussies for 195 in 72.3 overs as Bumrah starred with 4-56, while Shami also claimed two scalps.
Ashwin's first wicket in the match was that of Matthew Wade (30), who played an atrocious stroke in his effort to take on the canny Indian bowler. Wade charged down the track and top-edged a delivery that had dip and turn. Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja collided while attempting to take the catch, but the latter held on to the ball.
The offie then got the massive scalp of Steve Smith, who perished for a duck. Ashwin bowled one down leg and Smith only managed to glance the delivery to leg gully. He also dismissed Tim Paine (13) with one that dipped and turned as the batter dragged the delivery to backward short leg. Ashwin claimed 2-71 in the second innings as India bowled out Australia for 200 and chased a target of 70.
#1 (4-55) - Adelaide, December 2020
The 2020 Adelaide Test is remembered for India's embarrassing 36 all-out in the second innings. However, Ashwin came up with an excellent performance in the first innings to register his best innings figures of 4-55 in a Test in Australia. India batted first in the game and were bowled out for 244 despite Virat Kohli's 74. Ashwin's four-fer and Umesh Yadav's 3-40, however, held the Aussies to 191.
The Indian off-spinner dismissed Smith for one as the batter played back to a length ball that skidded through and was caught at slip. He then sent back Travis Head (7) as the left-handed batter chipped a flighted delivery back to the bowler. Ashwin had his third when Cameron Green (11) miscued a short ball turning into leg stump and was caught by Kohli at midwicket.
The seasoned Indian off-spinner's impressive bowling, effort, however, went in vain as the visitors collapsed for 36 in their second innings as Josh Hazlewood claimed 5-8 and Pat Cummins 4-21. Australia needed only 90 runs for victory in the Adelaide Test and cruised home with eight wickets in hand.