India kicked off their 2023/24 home season with a commanding performance, securing a massive 280-run victory over Bangladesh in Chennai well before lunch on the final day. This resounding win not only set the tone for the season but also marked a significant milestone in India’s rich 92-year Test cricket history.
A Momentous Victory for India
India’s win-loss record in Test cricket now stands at 179 wins and 178 losses, marking the first time the number of victories has surpassed defeats. This milestone, achieved in India’s 580th Test match, places them in an elite group of nations that have accomplished this feat, joining Australia, Pakistan, England, West Indies, South Africa, and Afghanistan. Several other cricketing nations, including New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, and Ireland, have yet to reach this landmark.
The Magnitude of the Victory
India’s 280-run margin of victory is the third largest by any team in Test cricket in Asia after being reduced to 150 or fewer for six wickets down in their first innings. The only larger victories in such circumstances came from Pakistan, who defeated India by 341 runs in Karachi in 2006 after slumping to 39/6, and India’s own triumph over South Africa in Delhi in 2015 after recovering from 139/6.
R Ashwin’s All-Round Brilliance
Ravichandran Ashwin once again showcased his all-round prowess by scoring a century and claiming a five-wicket haul in the same Test. This is the fourth time Ashwin has achieved this rare double, a feat only bettered by Ian Botham, who has done so on five occasions. Notably, Ashwin became the first player to accomplish this milestone twice at the same venue, his home ground in Chennai, with the previous instance coming against England in 2021.
Ashwin’s remarkable performance places him among an elite group of Indian players who have scored a century and taken five wickets in the same Test match. The full list includes:
- Vinoo Mankad (184 & 5/196 vs England, Lord’s, 1952)
- Polly Umrigar (172* & 5/107 vs West Indies, Port of Spain, 1961/62)
- R Ashwin (103 & 5/156 vs West Indies, Wankhede, 2011/12)
- R Ashwin (113 & 7/83 vs West Indies, North Sound, 2016)
- R Ashwin (106 & 5/43 vs England, Chennai, 2020/21)
- Ravindra Jadeja (175* & 5/41 vs Sri Lanka, Mohali, 2021/22)
- Ravindra Jadeja (112 & 5/41 vs England, Rajkot, 2023/24)
- R Ashwin (113 & 6/88 vs Bangladesh, Chennai, 2024/25)
Ashwin’s Bowling Milestones
Ashwin’s stellar bowling performance continued with his 37th five-wicket haul in Test cricket, achieved in his 101st match. This tally draws him level with Shane Warne, who took 145 Tests to reach the same number. The only bowler with more five-wicket hauls is the legendary Muttiah Muralidaran, who claimed 67 in his illustrious career.
Ashwin also became the leading wicket-taker for India in the fourth innings of Test matches, surpassing Anil Kumble’s record of 94 wickets. Ashwin now has 99 wickets in the fourth innings, with seven of those being five-wicket hauls, putting him in joint second place alongside Warne and Muralidaran. Only Sri Lanka’s Rangana Herath, with 12 five-wicket hauls, has more in the fourth innings.
A Unique Bowling Feat
Ashwin also achieved a rare distinction by becoming the first bowler to take six or more wickets in the second innings after going wicketless in the first, twice. His first such performance came against the West Indies in North Sound in 2016 (0/43 & 7/83), and now he has repeated the feat in this Test against Bangladesh (0/54 & 6/33). Venkatesh Prasad is the only other Indian bowler to have done this once, also at Chennai, against Pakistan in 1999.
Ashwin’s Player of the Match Dominance
This latest performance earned Ashwin his 10th Player of the Match award in 101 Test appearances. He now sits in joint third place for India, alongside Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, and Anil Kumble. Only Sachin Tendulkar (14) and Rahul Dravid (11) have won the award more times in Indian Test cricket.
Minimal DRS Referrals
Interestingly, this Test saw only four DRS referrals, the joint lowest for any Test match held in India. The only other instance with the same number of referrals occurred in the Rajkot Test between India and West Indies in 2018. Additionally, there was only one LBW dismissal in the match, making it one of just three Tests in India with one or no such dismissals.
A Milestone for Mushfiqur Rahim
In a personal achievement for Bangladesh, Mushfiqur Rahim became the leading run-scorer for his country across all formats. During the second innings, Rahim surpassed Tamim Iqbal’s tally of 15,192 runs, taking his career total to 15,205. Shakib Al Hasan is in third place with 14,721 runs.
India’s emphatic victory in Chennai sets a strong foundation for the home season, and the individual milestones achieved in this match will undoubtedly be remembered as significant moments in the annals of Indian cricket history.