India vs New Zealand: First Test - Hits and Misses

R Ashwin: 40 runs and 10 wickets

R Ashwin

If Jadeja doesn’t get you, Ashwin will. Ravichandran Ashwin is always a nightmare to the teams that visit India and the case is no different with the New Zealanders as well. The world no. 1 all-rounder in tests just showed why he belonged there as he starred with both bat and ball.

He scored a crucial 40 in the first innings and continued his good work with the ball too. In the first innings, Ashwin triggered a collapse on the first session of day 3 as he picked up the overnight batsmen, Tom Latham and Kane Williamson, who were threatening to take the match away from India.

His delivery to Kane Williamson was a beauty as the ball spun a long way and hit the stumps after pitching outside the off-stump. He accounted for two more wickets as New Zealand were bundled out for 262.

In the second innings, he dismissed both the openers very early and had the visitors reeling at 3-2. He also dismissed Kane Williamson for the second time in the test and accounted 3 more wickets. He finished with 10 wickets in the match.