India claimed a commanding 280-run win against Bangladesh in the first Test of the two-match series on Sunday, September 22, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The Rohit Sharma-led team set an imposing target of 515 runs for Bangladesh but the visitors were bowled out for 234 in their second innings. Ravichandran Ashwin’s exceptional bowling, where he claimed six wickets, played a pivotal role in India’s triumph. Ravindra Jadeja contributed with three crucial wickets as well.
Ravichandran Ashwin, aged 38 years and five days, became the oldest Indian cricketer to take a five-wicket haul in Test cricket, surpassing Vinoo Mankad’s record. Mankad had set the record at the age of 37 years and 306 days during a Test against Pakistan in 1955. Ashwin’s figures of 6 for 88 in the second innings were critical in sealing the win for India.
Beyond his impressive bowling, Ashwin shone with the bat, scoring 113 runs off 133 balls, featuring 11 fours and 2 sixes. His century in the first innings helped India build a formidable total and earned him the distinction of being the oldest Indian cricketer to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in the same Test, breaking Polly Umrigar’s 62-year-old record. Umrigar had achieved this feat at the age of 36 in a Test against the West Indies in 1962.
This Test saw Ashwin create another remarkable record — he became the first cricketer in history to score a century and take a five-wicket haul on the same ground twice. In his previous Test at Chepauk Stadium, against England in 2021, Ashwin had scored 106 runs and took 5 wickets for 43, contributing to another victory for India.
With this performance, Ashwin has now recorded a century and a five-wicket haul in the same Test four times in his career. He is only one behind England’s legendary all-rounder Ian Botham, who has achieved the feat five times.
