Ravichandran Ashwin dominated Bangladesh, taking six wickets in their second innings and helping India secure a huge 280-run win on day four of the first Test in Chennai.

Bangladesh, chasing a massive target of 515, was bowled out for 234. Their captain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, was the only player to put up a fight, scoring 82 runs. With this win, India leads the two-match series 1-0.

Ravichandran Ashwin, playing at his home ground in Chennai, not only scored 113 runs in India’s first innings but also took 10 wickets across both of Bangladesh’s innings, earning him the player of the match award.

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Ravichandran Ashwin’s spin-bowling partner, Ravindra Jadeja, took three wickets on the final day after scoring 86 runs in a 99-run partnership with Ashwin in India’s first innings.

Bangladesh started day four at 158-4, with Shanto and Shakib Al Hasan holding off India for the first hour. However, Indian captain Rohit Sharma brought Ashwin into the attack, and he quickly broke the partnership in his first over. Ashwin got Shakib out for 25 with a smart ball that led to a catch by Yashasvi Jaiswal at short leg.

Jadeja then had Litton Das caught in the slip and later dismissed Shanto, who had been fighting hard for Bangladesh. After that, Bangladesh quickly collapsed, losing the match with five sessions left to play.

India had declared their second innings at 287-4 on day three, with centuries from Shubman Gill (119*) and Rishabh Pant (109), who was playing his first Test since a serious car accident in December 2022. The pair added 167 runs for the fourth wicket.

This Test was also Virat Kohli’s first since the birth of his second child, but he only managed to score 6 and 17 runs.

India’s bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah, had given them an early edge by bowling Bangladesh out for 149 in their first innings. India is looking to keep their lead at the top of the World Test Championship standings in this new season, which includes 10 matches.

Bangladesh came into this game after a historic series win in Pakistan, but they have never beaten India in Test matches. The two teams will now head to Kanpur for the second Test starting on Friday.

At 37, Ravichandran Ashwin is not only one of the smartest minds in international cricket but also someone who speaks his mind openly. With 516 Test wickets, his opinions carry weight. His book, co-written with Sidharth Monga and published by Penguin Random House, takes readers through his life up until 2011 and offers a glimpse into his analytical mind.

Ravichandran Ashwin says he lives in the moment, not worrying about specific goals. He describes himself as a creative person who follows his instincts, even if it means making mistakes. Growing up, he struggled with insecurity, but as he matured, he overcame his fears and became more confident, which is reflected in his successful cricket career.

From playing cricket on the streets of Chennai to becoming India’s top spinner, Ashwin has had quite a journey. He has faced criticism but always responds by improving his game, refusing to let external negativity affect his mindset. His engineering background helps him take calculated risks without fear of failure.

Ravichandran Ashwin admits he’s not afraid of failure. He would rather take risks than play it safe. This mindset has helped him in both life and cricket. He believes that understanding and overcoming his insecurities have given him an advantage in exploiting the weaknesses of others.

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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ashwin reevaluated his life and decided to take on new challenges. He started a YouTube channel during the lockdown, where he shares his insights on cricket, which now has over 1.5 million subscribers. Despite dealing with the trauma of seeing loved ones suffer from the virus, Ashwin found the time to reflect on his life and explore his creative side.

He learned a valuable lesson about risk-taking from a visit to a casino, realizing that focusing on having fun rather than winning can lead to greater success. This philosophy applies to his life as well, where he finds inspiration from various sources like movies, web series, and books.

Ashwin knows that sharing personal stories can be risky, as it may reveal sides of him that others could judge. He also understands that writing about painful experiences might hurt others involved. However, he believes in learning from life’s tough lessons and growing from them. In his book, he shares a story about being denied an IPL ticket by a Chennai Super Kings official, which motivated him to become a better person and cricketer.

He concludes by acknowledging that life isn’t always fair, but it’s important to learn from and grow from every experience, even the harsh ones.