Ravichandran Ashwin on Monday became only the second cricketer to take a five-wicket haul and score a century in the same Test match three or more times.
In Chennai on day 3 of second India vs England Test, Ravichandran Ashwin surpassed Jacques Kallis, Gary Sobers, Shakib Al Hasan with a century and five-wicket haul
Ravichandran Ashwin on Monday became only the second cricketer to take a five-wicket haul and score a century in the same Test match three or more times.
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Ashwin, who helped India dismiss England for a paltry 134 in their first innings on Sunday with figures of 5/43 in 23.5 overs, reached his fifth Test century with a four off the fifth ball in the 82nd over. The 34-year-old took 134 balls to reach the landmark.
This was his third century-fifer in a Test, and surpassed legends Gary Sobers, Mushtaq Mohammad, Jacques Kallis and Shakib Al Hasan -- all have two each.
But the record for most century-fifer belongs to Ian Botham (3).
Ashwin also became the second Tamil Nadu player to score a Test century at The Chepauk after Kris Srikkanth, who hit 123 against Pakistan in 1986/87.
Enjoying a brilliant all-round outing on a surface that has tested the skill and temperament of the best of batsmen from both sides, seasoned off-spinner Ashwin showed how to do it with his excellent knock of 106 off 148 balls.
Captain Virat Kohli struck 62 off 149 balls and added 96 runs for the seventh wicket with Ashwin, helping India extend their overall lead after they were reduced to 106 for six at one stage.
While Kohli showed his class before falling to Moeen Ali for the second time in the game, Ashwin too displayed remarkable skills on a challenging surface to prop up the home team.
India were all out for 286 in their second innings, after scoring 329 in the first outing. England need 482 runs.