Ravichandran Ashwin is in an elite group. There are only nine cricketers who have taken more than 500 Test wickets, and he is one of them. But the greatness of Ashwin, the Test cricketer, doesn't end there. Among those nine, Ashwin is the only one with more than two centuries - he has as many as six now. Anil Kumble and Stuart Broad are the only in that list with a Test century to their name. He is also only the third after Shane Warne and Stuart Broad to score more than 3000 Test runs, along with taking 500 Test wickets. And if we look at Test batting averages, nobody even comes close to Ashwin.

Ashwin has a Test batting average of 26.26 - the highest among all cricketers in that 500-Test wicket bracket. In fact, there is no one on that list who averages more than 20 with the bat. The next best is Stuart Broad, who averaged 18.03.

Ashwin is rare. If the stats weren't enough, on Day 1 of the India vs Bangladesh first Test in Chennai, Ashwin showed exactly why is regarded as one of the biggest matchwinners of India. Waking in to bat at No.8 when India were tottering at 144/6 after losing set batters Yashasvi Jaiswal (56) and KL Rahul (16) at the same score, Ashwin did not put a foot wrong in a record partnership for the 7th wicket with Ravindra Jadeja.

The unbeaten 195-run partnership between Ashwin and Jadeja took India to 339/6 at stumps on Day 1. Ashwin was unbeaten on 102 off 112 balls, while Jadeja was firmly placed at 86 off 117 balls.

Ashwin's strokeplay stuns India coach Gambhir

Ashwin was in sublime touch the moment he walked out to bat on Thursday. The half-centuries that he got while playing for the Dindigul Dragons in the TNPL (T20 league) at the same venue must have done is confidence a world of good. It showed in how he handled Bangladesh pacers Nahid Rana, Hasan Mahmud and Taskin Ahmed.

Ashwin hit 10 fours and two sixes in his breathtaking knock, but one particular shot he played off Nahid Rana, easily the quickest of the Bangladesh pacers, got everyone talking.

It was the last ball of the 44th over. Nahid Rana dropped it short and wide, and Ashwin rocked onto the backfoot and slapped the ball to the left of the point fielder for his second boundary of the day. The balance, power, and execution were so perfect that it prompted a spontaneous reaction from India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, who was a great exponent of the square cut during his playing days.

Gambhir was not the only one in awe of Ashwin's strokeplay on Day 1. The India all-rounder's free-flowing batting gave thorough entertainment to the Chennai crowd.

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