Former Pakistan cricketer and ex-president of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ramiz Raja, praised Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin for his recent performances and remarked that Ashwin hasn’t been celebrated enough as an all-rounder.
Ramiz’s comments came after Ashwin’s impressive showing in the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, where he was named Player of the Series for scoring 114 runs, including a counter-attacking century in Chennai, and taking 11 wickets.
Ramiz said, “He (Ashwin) has not been celebrated as much as he should be as an all-rounder. If you look at his record, he is not less than anyone. He is a no-nonsense cricketer, takes everything in his stride. Even when he is the 12th man or is out of the team, there are no tantrums. He understands the team’s situation and his responsibility,”
Ramiz said that whenever Ashwin gets a chance, he plays brilliantly and there is a lot to learn from the veteran.
“He is opinionated but not like he does a lot of critical analysis of anything off the field. He has an intelligent take on the game, which shows in his comments,” he added.
Ashwin’s recent achievements in the series included equaling Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan’s record for the most Player of the Series awards in Test cricket (11).
In addition, he joined Ian Botham in a rare club by securing a century and a five-wicket haul in the same Test match four times, second only to Botham’s five such performances. Ashwin’s 37th five-wicket haul in Tests also tied him with Shane Warne for second-most in Test history, behind only Muralitharan’s 67 .
With more than 750 international wickets and over 3,400 runs in Tests, Ashwin is widely regarded as one of the best all-rounders of his generation, further solidifying his legacy as one of India’s finest in the longest format .
