Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra drew a striking comparison between Ravichandran Ashwin and legendary Indian batter VVS Laxman, highlighting their shared ability to handle deliveries coming towards their legs with supreme control. On Day 1 of the first Test against Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Ashwin delivered a batting masterclass, scoring an unbeaten 102 off 112 balls.
His century, alongside Ravindra Jadeja’s gritty 86, rescued India from a difficult position and set the tone for the innings after a devastating early collapse.
India had been left reeling at 144/6, with the Bangladesh bowlers, particularly Hasan Mahmud, wreaking havoc. Mahmud had dismissed India’s top three in quick succession, breathing fire and putting Bangladesh firmly on top. With the Indian batting lineup crumbling, Ashwin stepped in and brought the attack to Bangladesh.
Despite the mounting pressure, Ashwin countered with controlled aggression, showcasing his class and knowledge of his home ground in Chennai.
Together with Jadeja, Ashwin turned the tide, launching a fearless counter-attack. He was unafraid to play his shots, regularly finding gaps on the leg side and taking on the spinners with finesse. His approach not only eased the pressure but also put India back in the contest.
Chopra, in his analysis on Jio Cinema, praised Ashwin’s calmness and technique, likening his method of handling leg-side deliveries to that of VVS Laxman, who was renowned for his elegant shot-making in such situations.
“He lets the ball travel to him, he has only the shots at his disposal when it comes to the back-foot. When it comes to his legs, he often reminds me of VVS Laxman. But today his driving skills, especially bending his knee and hitting a six against spinners… Jadeja was outstanding, but Ashwin deserves a bit more of credit for today,” Chopra said.
Ashwin impresses Chopra
The former India batter also pointed out that Ashwin came to the crease with significantly less playing time in international cricket in recent months, compared to his teammates. Despite this, Ashwin delivered a crucial, match-saving knock under immense pressure.
“We were really habituated to see him score with the bat, then over some time we saw a bit of a decline in his batting form. He was also demoted in the batting order. He is a very organised player. His ability to absorb pressure, it is there in the foundation of how he plays. The rest of the players have still played in competitive cricket like the T20 World Cup in the build up to this, but he had only last played in the England Tests,” Chopra added.
