R Ashwin’s 38th birthday: Revisiting the highs of his cricket career

NEW DELHI: Indian cricketer R Ashwin, who made his Test debut in 2011 against West Indies, has reached a significant milestone in his career by turning 38 years old today. Ashwin who has played over 100 Test matches for India is known for his strategic approach as Ashwin has played crucial roles in various tournaments.
Ashwin has had a notable career with several achievements.He has taken 516 wickets in his Test career, making him one of the leading bowlers in Indian cricket. He has grabbed 156 wickets in ODI and 72 wickets in T20I.
He was part of the Indian team that won the Cricket World Cup in 2011 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013 under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. In the final match of the Champions Trophy, which was shortened to a 20-over game, Ashwin bowled a maiden over and defended 15 runs in the last over, securing the trophy for India. In his four overs, he bowled with an economy of 3.75 and claimed two wickets.

In the 2011 World Cup, Ashwin was a part of the Indian squad but played a limited role behind Harbhajan Singh. In the 2015 World Cup, however, he made a notable contribution with 13 wickets in eight matches, helping India reach the semi-final. In T20 internationals, his best performance came in the 2014 World Cup, taking 4 for 11 against Australia and finishing with 11 wickets overall.
Ashwin holds the record as the fastest bowler to reach 350 wickets in Test cricket, achieving this in just 66 innings. He has also recorded the third most five-wicket hauls in Test cricket, with a total of 36. His all-round abilities are well-regarded, as he has both scored a century and taken a five-wicket haul in the same match.
Ravichandran Ashwin has made a significant impact in Test cricket with numerous achievements to his name. He has taken over 30 five-wicket hauls and has more than 90 wickets against both Australia and England. Additionally, he has achieved the milestone of taking more than 50 wickets in a calendar year on four occasions.
Ashwin's most notable performance occurred during the 2016-17 home season. In a three-match series against New Zealand, he took 27 wickets. He followed this with 28 wickets in five Tests against England, six wickets in a single match against Bangladesh, and 21 wickets in a four-Test series against Australia.
Ashwin's journey began with the Indian Premier League (IPL) when he was picked by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2009. He played six seasons with CSK and contributed to two title wins. Ashwin's versatility allowed him to bowl both in the powerplay and at the death, and he often delivered critical wickets. He was named the Man of the Series during the 2010 Champions League in South Africa.

In summary, Ravichandran Ashwin has had a remarkable career in both Test and limited-overs cricket, and his contributions have been crucial to his teams' successes across different formats.
As Ravichandran Ashwin turned 38, the cricket community came together to celebrate the occasion. Greetings and well-wishes flooded in from various corners of the cricketing world, honouring the accomplished player on his special day.
Players, coaches, and fans alike took the opportunity to express their admiration for Ashwin's contributions to the sport. The outpouring of support highlighted the respect and appreciation he has earned throughout his career.
Elected ICC Chairman Jay Shah shared his birthday wishes to R Ashwin. He wrote, "Happy Birthday to our spin maestro, It has been a true privilege to witness your brilliance with the ball. I look forward to seeing you continue to set new benchmarks. Wishing you a fantastic year ahead!"