IND vs ENG [WATCH]: Ravichandran Ashwin cleans up Ben Stokes with a peach of a delivery in Dharamsala Test

Star Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin showcased his prowess on Day 3 of the fifth and final Test against England, claiming a scintillating five-wicket haul, including the prized scalp of Ben Stokes.

Dominance in Dharamsala

In a captivating display of spin bowling at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, Ashwin left the English batting lineup in tatters during their second innings. The Chennai-born spinner’s remarkable performance not only dismantled the top and middle-order but also marked his 100th Test for Team India in style.

Ravichandran Ashwin dismisses Ben Stokes with a beauty

The highlight of Ashwin’s spell came with the dismissal of England captain Stokes, which drew widespread attention. Delivering a masterful slider on the fifth delivery of the 23rd over, Ashwin caught Stokes off guard as the Englishman lunged forward to defend. However, the ball sneaked through, crashing into middle and off stumps, leaving Stokes departing for a mere 2 runs.

Here is the video:

First ball magic knocks Stokes over AGAIN! 🤯 13th time lucky for Ashwin 😎#IDFCFirstBankTestSeries #BazBowled #INDvENG #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/CIqMXIbI7h

— JioCinema (@JioCinema) March 9, 2024

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Record-breaking performance

With this dismissal, Ashwin etched his name in the record books, claiming Stokes’ wicket for the 13th time in Test cricket. Notably, Ashwin’s dominance over Stokes adds to his tally of most dismissals against a single batsman in Test cricket. This achievement surpassed the previous record held by Kapil Dev, who dismissed Mudassar Nazar of Pakistan 12 times.

Indians to dismiss a batter most times in Tests:

13 – Ravichandran Ashwin to Ben Stokes
12 – Kapil Dev to Mudassar Nazar
11 – Ravichandran Ashwin to David Warner
11 – Ishant Sharma to Alastair Cook

Stokes’ struggles in the series

Stokes’ disappointing run in the series continued as he managed only 199 runs across five matches, despite playing as a specialist batsman. His scores reflected a challenging period with the bat, with his final innings yielding a meager 2 runs. The English captain’s performance mirrored a series of low scores, including 70, 5, 47, 11, 41, 15, 3, 4, 0, and 2.

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