Mumbai, March 2: Former India opener Aakash Chopra hailed star India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin as one of the biggest match-winners the country has ever had after former India captain and legendary spinner Anil Kumble in Test Cricket.
R Ashwin has been in phenomenal form in the ongoing Test series between India and England and in the third Test match against the visitors, the Tamil Nadu off-spinner became the fastest Indian to pick up 400 Test wickets.
The 34-year-old cricketer took just 77 Tests to enter the elite club and became the second-fastest after Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan (72 Tests).
Speaking exclusively on Star Sports' show CRICKET CONNECTED, Chopra lauded Ashwin and highlighted his performance in the home series against England.
"78 Test matches for 400 Test wicket. Let the naysayers be! He's been absolutely phenomenal with the craft that he has displayed over a period of time and as he's growing as a bowler he's picking a lot of wickets. So, that question mark is also getting answered quite nicely.
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"I feel that he's an absolute Rockstar. He's one of the biggest match-winner, that India has ever produced, of course, Anil Kumble will still remain at No.1," the cricketer-turned commentator said.
After his match-winning all-round show in the second Test at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai where he slammed a ton and also grabbed a fifer, Ashwin continued his stellar show in the pink-ball Test held at the refurbished GCA Stadium in Ahmedabad. The off-spinner picked up seven wickets in the Day-Night Test which India won by 10 wickets and went 2-1 up in the four-Test series.
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Ashwin would now be eyeing another dominant show in the fourth and final Test which will also be held in Ahmedabad, starting Thursday (March 4) and help his team win the series.