The final Test match between India and England serves as a landmark occasion for Ravichandran Ashwin, marking his 100th Test. The star spinner has been candid about a specific, challenging period in his career that acted as a catalyst for his growth. His centenary match kicks off on Thursday, March 7, in Dharamsala. Despite the natural highs and lows of a long career, the 37-year-old has remained a staple of the Indian Test side for more than ten years. Recently, he hit a historic peak by securing his 500th Test wicket during the third match of the series, becoming only the second Indian—after Anil Kumble—and the ninth player globally to achieve such a milestone.
The fifth and final Test between India and England will mark Ravichandran Ashwin’s 100th Test in his international career. Ashwin, the ace Indian spinner, has opened up about a pivotal moment in his career that helped him to improve his game. Ashwin is geared up to play his 100th Test game, starting March 7, Thursday in Dharamsala. Despite various ups and downs in his storied career, the 37-year-old has remained a constant in India’s red-ball setup for over ten years. The veteran spinner recently achieved a milestone in the longest format of the game, completing his 500th Test wicket in the third match of the series. Ashwin became the ninth player and the second Indian bowler, following legendary Anil Kumble, to reach 500 Test wickets.
Known for his right-arm spin and handy contributions with the bat, Ashwin will be the 14th Indian to play 100 Tests. He heads into this final clash with high confidence, thanks to a strong five-wicket performance in Ranchi. However, his path to this point included a rough patch in 2012; following his 2011 debut, he was heavily criticized for his form during a home series against England, which resulted in a rare series loss for India on home soil.
During those four Tests, Ashwin managed 14 wickets—the fourth-highest in the series—but his effectiveness was questioned due to a high average of 52.64. He struggled particularly against the likes of Kevin Pietersen and Alastair Cook, giving up 737 runs with a best individual performance of 3/80. During a recent press conference, Ashwin admitted that this difficult period was actually a turning point, as it pushed him to analyze his flaws and upgrade his game.
Ashwin explained that the home series against England, where Cook and Pietersen dominated him, was a wake-up call. At the time, there were genuine rumors that he might be dropped from the team. He viewed this as a vital lesson, noting that it helped him improve his game by even a small margin—about 5%—but gave him the clarity needed to fix his errors. He noted that since then, his career has been about managing the inevitable dips in form. Additionally, the Chennai-born cricketer highlighted his 2018 performance in Birmingham as one of his career peaks, where he successfully claimed seven wickets.
He described his spell in Birmingham during the 2018-19 tour as one of his finest moments in the red-ball game. He recalled a poetic connection to the venue, remembering that he had played U19 cricket there two decades prior. He noted that the biting cold of the region makes it difficult for fingers to adjust, but remarked that the beauty of the sport lies in those unpredictable challenges.