Gavaskar recalled Ashwin's Test ton against England at Chepauk in February 2021.
Not one to mince his words, batting legend Sunil Gavaskar called the English media ‘crybabies’ during Day 1 of the second India versus Bangladesh Test match at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.
Notably, Gavaskar was commenting on Ravichandran Ashwin’s centuries at his home ground – the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The 75-year-old mentioned how Ashwin slammed hundreds on completely different surfaces at Chepauk. He recalled his ton against England in February 2021 and how the spin all-rounder ‘walked the talk’ after the English media heavily criticized the pitch.
"That was on a turning track and this one on a seaming track. He (Ashwin) actually said the previous day in the press conference that you can get a hundred if you apply yourself. So he walked the talk there against England where the moaners were going on saying ‘what kind of wicket is this’. ‘Pitch is awkward’ etc all those you know regular crybaby remarks that we get to hear from the England media," Gavaskar said on-air.
Ashwin starred with both bat and ball in the Chennai Test against Bangladesh. He slammed a dazzling century (113 off 133) in the first innings when India were struggling at 144/6. Thanks to his 199-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja (86), the hosts racked up 376/10 in their first essay.
While Ashwin failed to claim a wicket in Bangladesh’s first innings, he tormented the visitors with a five-wicket haul in the second dig. His figures of 6/88 in 21 overs help India bundle out the tourists for 234 in the chase of 515 runs.
It was Ashwin’s 37th five-wicket haul, the joint-second most by any bowler in Test cricket. He currently stands alongside the legendary Shane Warne in the all-time list, and the two are only behind Muttiah Muralitharan’s 67.
On Day 1 of the Kanpur Test, Ashwin got the prized scalp of Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto for 31. The visitors ended the rain-marred opening day on 107/3 after being asked to bat first.