Ravichandran Ashwin. (Source – BCCI)
Tamim Iqbal compared Ravichandran Ashwin’s importance in the Indian team to batting greats like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after the all-rounder’s spectacular display in the first Test against Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai last week.
Ashwin scored a resilient century in the first innings to bail India out of a precarious position. He also stamped his authority with the ball in the fourth innings, finishing with exemplary figures of 6/88. The hometown hero was fittingly adjudged Player of the Match for his all-round heroics. With six Test centuries and 522 wickets to his name, Ashwin easily qualifies as a bonafide legend of the red-ball format for India. However, Tamim believes that the 38-year-old should be kept in the same bracket as Kohli and Rohit.
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“That was brilliant what he did, he was batting like a proper batter. I come from a different country. What I always hear is Virat Kohlis and Rohit Sharmas but Ravichandran Ashwin is equally important in my eyes. Because we only talk about when they do well, when they get the hundreds, they get five six wickets. But their contribution to this Indian team is immense. It’s as big as Rohit as big as Virat Kohli,” said Tamim Iqbal on Jio Cinema.
Batting up the order in TNPL helped Ravichandran Ashwin: Rohit Sharma
During the post-match presentation ceremony after India won the first Test by 280 runs, Rohit praised Ashwin’s ability to step up when the team needs him, be it with the ball or with the bat. The Indian skipper also mentioned that the batting practice Ashwin got by promoting himself to the top of the order for his Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) franchise Dindigul Dragons this season helped him in playing the stunning knock against the Tigers.
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“He’s next in line to talk to you, he’s the right man to answer what he does. Every time we look up to him, he’s always there for us whether with the bat or ball. I don’t know if I speak here, it’ll be enough of what he does for this team. Every time we see him come out and do the job, it’s always so brilliant. He’s never out of the game. The last competitive cricket he played was IPL and then he had some fun playing TNPL. We watched him bat up the order and that’s what helped him as well to bat the way he did,” Rohit said.