WATCH: Virat Kohli bows out to Ravichandran Ashwin during Chennai Test

India got their Test season off to a flying start with a stunning 280-run victory over Bangladesh in the first Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Ravichandran Ashwin played a key role in India’s victoryboth with bat and ball.

Ashwin’s 199-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja in the first innings helped India recover from the start. The veteran spinner then took six wickets in the fourth innings of the match to secure India a big win.

Virat Kohli’s fun act

In a touching gesture, Virat Kohli was seen bowing to R Ashwin after the spinner dismissed Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Kohli’s action, which has already gone viral, showed the respect and admiration he has for Ashwin.

Here is the video:

Virat bowing to Ashwin 😭💙 so cute! pic.twitter.com/eYKVWr9xKl

– P ✨ (@ssnoozefest) September 22, 2024

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Ravichandran Ashwin shows off his performance

After the match, Ashwin expressed satisfaction with his performance and the team’s victory. He acknowledged the pressure he is facing to fill the void Harbhajan Singhthe famous thrower, and expressed his gratitude for the support he has received throughout his career.

“I will not be able to comment on what kind of impact I had on this Test match. I had big shoes to fill, replacing Harbhajan, I used to emulate his actions in lower level cricket, he was an inspiration to me,” Ashwin said.

The local boy also highlighted the importance of preparation and experience in his success. He cited his training in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) as a key factor in his performance.

“Usually here [at the Chepauk Stadium] when you hit the ball it doesn’t go fast, but this was a different field, I felt like it was back in the 2010s, what helped me was the preparation I put in while playing with TNPL. I had a good preparation camp before TNPL and also finished well in TNPL. That helped me here,” he added.

The veteran off-spinner even shed some light on his partnership with Jadeja, emphasizing their understanding and experience. He mentioned that Jadeja’s calmness and his batting ability gives a sense of stability to the team.

“He [Ravindra Jadeja] he is one of the best batsmen in the Indian team, maybe even in the world, he is a reliable batsman, the outgoing Jadeja gives a lot of calmness to the team. He helped me a lot with my innings. You told me, it looks like you’re hitting really well, you need to tie down like you’re facing your first 10 balls, you talked about leaving a few more balls. That partnership comes with experience and hitting a lot together,” Ashwin, who was adjudged man of the match throughout his career, added further.

READ MORE: BCCI announces India squad for second Test against Bangladesh