Indian cricket star Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed his views on the recently announced venues for England’s tour of India in 2024, set to take place from January to March. The 36-year-old spinner noted that Rajkot and Vizag have been selected once again as hosts for the five-match Test series against England, a decision that mirrors the 2016-17 series.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released the schedule for the international home season 2023-24, part of the ongoing World Test Championship (2023-25) cycle. The fixtures for the Test series are as follows: Hyderabad, Vizag, Rajkot, Ranchi, and Dharamshala. Ashwin highlighted the similarities with the 2016/17 series where the matches were played in Rajkot, Vizag, Mohali, Mumbai, and Chennai.
Vizag and Rajkot maintain their status quo in hosting Test matches, and Ashwin anticipates a competitive series. For those unfamiliar with the history, Rajkot and Vizag previously hosted the first and second Test against England during the 2016/17 series.
The opening Test ended in a draw, while India claimed a convincing 246-run victory in the second Test, going on to win the series 4-0. Ashwin’s impressive performance saw him emerge as the leading wicket-taker of that series, taking 28 wickets in five games.
Looking ahead, Ashwin has an impressive record in the venues chosen for the upcoming series, having secured 16 wickets in two Tests in Vizag and nine in Rajkot. Recently, Ashwin showcased his skills during the two-Test series in the West Indies, where India emerged victorious with a 1-0 win. In those two Tests, Ashwin took 13 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls in the first game, which India won by an innings and 141 runs.
The talented spinner’s next outing is likely to be during the two-Test series against South Africa later this year. During that series, he will have the opportunity to become the second Indian spinner to reach 500 wickets in Test matches, following in the footsteps of former captain Anil Kumble, who has 619 wickets.
Currently, Ashwin boasts an impressive tally of 489 wickets in 94 Test matches. Among spinners in the all-time list, Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Shane Warne (708) lead the way in terms of Test wickets. Ashwin’s contributions are not limited to his bowling skills, as he has also proven to be a valuable batsman. He scored 3185 runs at an average of 27.22, which includes five centuries and 14 half-centuries.
5 tests against England 2024:
Hyderabad
Vizag
Rajkot
Ranchi
Dharamshala2016/17
Rajkot
Vizag
Mohali
Mumbai
ChennaiVizag and Rajkot hold status quo. Should be a good series 🤩
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) July 25, 2023
The schedule for England’s tour of India in 2024 is as follows:
1st Test: Jan 24-29 (Hyderabad)
2nd Test: Feb 2-6 (Vizag)
3rd Test: Feb 15-24 (Rajkot)
4th Test: Feb 23-27 (Ranchi)
5th Test: March 7-11 (Dharamsala).
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