- Nasima Akter
Ashwin's Reaction to Pujara's Bowling Amuses Fans
Plenty of things happened for India's cricket team in the fourth Test match in Ahmedabad. On Monday, Cheteshwar Pujara did something that made everyone sit up. He was brought in to bowl by skipper Rohit Sharma during the final overs of the day, and he didn't disappoint.
Pujara conceded just one run, and the commentators couldn't praise him enough. In addition to praise from the commentators, teammate Ravichandran Ashwin gave the best reaction to Pujara's bowling.
He took to Twitter to share a meme from a stand-up video by comedian Abhishek Upamanyu, which translated to "What should I do? Leave my job?"
Pujara, being the quick-witted batter he is, replied, "Nahi. This was just to say thank you for going 1 down in Nagpur."
This started a hilarious Twitter conversation between the two, with Ashwin saying he didn't understand how that was a payback, and Pujara replying with his trademark dry humor, saying he was giving Ashwin enough rest so that he could go 1 down again in the future.
Ashwin's and Pujara's Performance
Ashwin had a fantastic Border-Gavaskar Trophy, finishing as the top wicket-taker with 25 scalps. He was also named the joint Player of the Series alongside Ravindra Jadeja, who bagged 22 wickets. At the post-match presentation ceremony, Ashwin spoke about his rapport with Jadeja and how the two complement each other on the pitch.
"It has been a great journey. We started a long time ago, but we wouldn't be the same or lethal enough without the other. He gives me a lot of freedom to be creative with the ball, credit to him. I thought he bowled beautifully in the Delhi Test as well, and that's why we are here today," he said.
Pujara also reached the historic milestone of playing 100 Tests for India in the series, which is an incredible feat in the game. Although he is primarily known for his batting, his tidy bowling came as a pleasant surprise to fans and commentators alike.
Even former Indian cricket team skipper, Sunil Gavaskar, remarked on commentary that his bowling style resembled that of Australia's great spinner Shane Warne.
India's Test Status
Aside from the fun moments in the match, India has qualified for the final of the World Test Championship. Sri Lanka's defeat to New Zealand in the first Test match in Christchurch meant that India only needed a draw to book their spot.
The 2021-2023 ICC World Test Championship is underway, with the final scheduled to be held at The Oval in London from 7-11 June 2023. The second edition of the ICC World Test Championship began on 4 August 2021, with the five-match Pataudi Trophy between England and India marking the start of the second cycle.
The only two series comprising five Tests in this cycle are the Pataudi Trophy and the Ashes in December 2021. The defending champions of the championship are New Zealand
The Rohit Sharma-led side will now face Australia in the summit clash, and fans are eagerly anticipating what promises to be an epic match.
