Indian cricket fans are calling for a change in guard at the top after the Dhaka Test on Sunday. Ravichandran Ashwin's heroics against Bangladesh has prompted fans to urge the team management to make him the Test captain after his all-round performance.
Ashwin's unbeaten 42 on Day 4 of the second Test against Bangladesh has become a knock for the ages.
The off-spinning all-rounder joined forces with Shreyas Iyer to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat after Bangladesh left India reeling at 74 for 7 in chase of 145 at the Shere-E-Bangla stadium on day 4.
In walked Ashwin and started to take the attack to the opposition. The duo added 71 runs for the unbroken 7th-wicket stand to take India past the finish line in a thrilling run chase.
Ashwin's 42 not out is now the highest score by an batter in a successful run chase in Test cricket.
He also completed 3,000 runs in Test cricket to become the second quickest all-rounder to complete the double of 3k runs and 400+ wickets in the longest format.
Ashwin gave the perfect Christmas present to Indian fans, who took to social media to hail the Tamil Nadu cricketer. Some even questioned as to why he wasn't made the Test captain in place of an out-of-form KL Rahul.
"R Ashwin says #MerryChristmas and gives us a Christmas ! Delivers with the bat when it matters. Should have been made Test captain long back, definitely not too late now," tweeted Vijayakarthikeyan, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Human Rights Commission.
"It's honestly baffling how Ashwin is not the Captain or at least the second choice Captain in any format of the game," wrote Abhijit Ganguly while film editor TS Suresh tweeted, "Time to make him Captain for Tests!"
."Great batting by @ashwinmushran @ShreyasIyer15... #chandrakantpandit should be the test coach and Shreyas and Ashwin should be captain and vice captain for tests," tweeted comedian Suresh Menon.
Past & present players hail Ashwin
Some of Ashwin's former India teammates also took to social media to pay tribute to his performance in Dhaka.
"The scientist did it. Somehow got this one. Brilliant innings from Ashwin and wonderful partnership with Shreyas Iyer," Virender Sehwag tweeted.
"Outstanding batting under pressure by @ashwinravi99 and @ShreyasIyer15," tweeted Dinesh Karthik.
