NEW DELHI: Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik heaped praise on Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja for their remarkable counter-attacking partnership that pulled India out of trouble on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai.
Ashwin’s unbeaten century and Jadeja’s composed 86* led India to 339/6 at stumps, after fast bowler Hasan Mahmud had rattled the Indian top-order with a fiery four-wicket haul.
Karthik was particularly impressed by the way Ashwin and Jadeja absorbed pressure and turned the momentum in India’s favor after being reduced to 144/6. The duo added an unbeaten 195-run stand, showcasing their experience and game awareness in challenging conditions.”It was outstanding, the way they batted. The experience they have, the way they started, the kind of shots Ashwin played, the backfoot punch first up… Jadeja going over mid-on and getting boundaries,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz, breaking down the pair’s approach. “Yes, the opponent is throwing punches, but it’s your time to throw a couple of punches yourself and then wait because they will disintegrate at some point and allow things to happen.”
Ashwin, who scored his sixth Test century, and Jadeja, who is known for his consistency, put on a masterclass in counter-attacking cricket. Karthik noted how their partnership turned the tide against a fired-up Bangladesh pace attack led by Mahmud, who had dismissed Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Rishabh Pant earlier in the day.

“They came in with singles and odd boundaries, got to their milestones, and got a lot more comfortable. Then they went on to play superb shots,” Karthik added, highlighting the duo’s ability to mix caution with aggression at the right moments.
Ashwin reached his century in 108 balls, much to the delight of the home crowd, while Jadeja patiently accumulated runs to frustrate the Bangladesh bowlers. Karthik lauded the pair as two of India’s greatest all-rounders, remarking on their consistent contributions to the team.
“What a set of all-rounders we have. We have Axar Patel not playing, and understandably so. Sometimes I feel people value only when they’re not around anymore, and these two people will be valued a lot more when they’re done,” Karthik remarked. “These two have been phenomenal for India in this format.”
Karthik was especially effusive in his praise for Ashwin, whom he described as a “cricket scientist” for his analytical approach to the game. “He is genuinely a cricket scientist. He thinks about the game so much, so engrossed and involved in the process,” Karthik said.