Ravichandran Ashwin delivered a sensational counterattacking century on Day 1 of the Chennai Test against Bangladesh, guiding India from the brink of collapse to a commanding position. Ashwin, who last scored a Test century three years ago, brought up his sixth career ton, equaling MS Dhoni’s tally in two fewer innings.
Batting at number 8, Ashwin’s latest century adds to his already impressive resume. He now has four Test hundreds at this position—only behind Daniel Vettori, who has five. Ashwin also surpassed Sir Richard Hadlee, notching 20 Test scores of fifty or more, adding to his reputation as one of cricket’s premier all-rounders.
Earlier, Bangladesh chose to bowl first, and Hasan Mahmud’s fiery opening spell rattled India’s top order, quickly dismissing Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill. With India reeling at 144/6, Ashwin, alongside fellow all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, mounted a heroic fightback.
The duo’s unbeaten 195-run partnership took India to 339/6 at stumps, setting a record for the highest seventh-wicket partnership or lower on the first day of a Test match. Just five runs shy of the 200-run mark, they could become the sixth Indian pair to achieve such a milestone for the seventh wicket or lower in Test history.
Chennai continues to be Ashwin’s happy hunting ground, with two centuries and one fifty-plus score in his last seven innings at the venue. His previous century here, against England in 2021, also helped India recover from a precarious position, a testament to Ashwin’s resilience in high-pressure situations.
