NEW DELHI: Former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik heaped praise on Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for their remarkable counter-attacking partnership that helped India out of a tight spot on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai.
Ashwin’s unbeaten century and Jadeja’s composed 86* took India to 339/6 at stumps after fast bowler Hasan Mahmud shook the Indian top order with a fiery four-wicket haul.
Karthik was particularly impressed with the way Ashwin and Jadeja withstood the pressure and turned the momentum in India’s favour after they fell behind to 144/6. The duo added an unbeaten 195-run stand, showcasing their experience and game awareness in difficult conditions. “The way they batted was outstanding. The experience they have, the way they started, the kind of shots Ashwin played, the back-foot punch at first touchdown… Jadeja goes over mid-off and gets boundaries,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz, analysing the pair’s approach. “Yes, the opposition is batting but it’s time to hit a few shots themselves and then wait because eventually they will disintegrate and make things happen.”
Ashwin, who scored his sixth Test century, and Jadeja, known for his consistency, produced a masterpiece of counter-attacking cricket. Karthik noted how their partnership turned the tide against a heated Bangladesh attack led by Mahmud, who had dismissed Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant earlier in the day.

“They came with singles and unusual boundaries, hit their milestones and became much more confident. Then they played excellent shots,” Karthik added, highlighting the duo’s ability to mix caution with aggressiveness at the right moments.
Ashwin reached his century in 108 balls, much to the delight of the home crowd, while Jadeja patiently piled up runs to frustrate the Bangladesh bowlers. Karthik hailed the pair as two of India’s greatest all-rounders and noted their consistent contributions to the team.
“What an all-rounder team we have. Axar Patel is not playing and that is understandable. Sometimes I feel that people only appreciate them when they are gone and these two guys will be appreciated a lot more when they are finished,” Karthik noted. “These two have been phenomenal for India in this format.”
Karthik was particularly effusive in his praise of Ashwin, calling him a “cricket scientist” due to his analytical approach to the game. “He is a true cricket scientist. He thinks so much about the game, is so immersed and involved in the process,” Karthik said.