Gavaskar, Shastri pour their wishes to Ravichandran Ashwin on reaching milestone

As Ravichandran Ashwin joined an elite group of Indian cricketers by playing his 100th Test, the cricketing fraternity came in to applauded and tribute to the veteran spinner's remarkable journey.

Just a day before Ashwin's landmark match in Dharamsala, the BCCI posted a heartwarming video celebrating his career, featuring legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Anil Kumble, and Ravi Shastri.

Also read: Indian team felicitates Ravichandran Ashwin in Dharamsala, gives guard of honour for 100th Test

Ashwin, with over 500 Test wickets, has undoubtedly carved his name as one of India's premier red-ball cricketers. His pivotal role in India's dominance at home over the past decade is unmatched, with the team remaining unbeaten in a home series since 2012. The 37-year-old off-spinner has emerged as India's biggest match-winner in the five-day format.

Reflecting on Ashwin's evolution, Ravi Shastri, who worked closely with Ashwin during his tenure as India's head coach, hailed the spinner's achievements, stating, "It's not often, you can say that about spinners but you knew very clearly, he would be the next," Shastri said.

Shastri dubbed Ashwin the 'astronaut,' asserting that his skills keep getting better with time. 

“The astronaut that he is and the wavelengths he gets onto, comes naturally to him and you can see the skill factors just getting better and better.”

Batting great Sunil Gavaskar also reflected on Ashwin's successful journey, emphasizing," Why do you play? What is the ambition? The ambition should be to play successfully for your country."

It's a fantastic effort by Ashwin: Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble, India's leading Test wicket-taker before Ashwin, highlighted the spinner's resilience in overcoming challenges. "The challenges are very extreme, it's not necessarily the skill challenges, but more in the mind and that says, a lot about someone who's been through that journey taken those ups and downs in his stride, and won so many matches and it's a fantastic effort," Kumble stated.

Also read: R. Ashwin reflects on major life lesson from Rajnikanth's movie ahead of 100th Test

Speaking of the Dharamsala Test, England have won the toss and elected to bat first in the series finale. India, meanwhile, made two changes in their playing XI, with Jasprit Bumrah coming back for Akash Deep, and Devdutt Padikall made his debuts in place of Rajat Patidar. 

As India took the field, Ashwin was given a guard of honour by his teammates. England are currently batting on 64 after losing one wicket in the form of opening batter Ben Duckett.