Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is on the brink of another landmark. Ashwin will become the 14th Indian player to play 100 Tests when he takes the field in the IND vs ENG Test. However, he will not be the only one on the field to achieve this landmark. England batter Jonny Bairstow will also play his 100th Test in the same Test match. This is not a normal occurrence. This will be only the third time in 147 years of Test Cricket history that players from two different teams will play their 100th Test in the same match. Which players became part of history by achieving a similar landmark? Let’s find out.
The first time that two players from different countries played in their 100th Test match in the same game happened in 2006. The New Zealand cricket team toured South Africa in the 2005–06 season. In the first Test of the series, South African fast bowler Shaun Pollock and New Zealand batter Stephen Fleming both played the 100th Test of their careers.
The second time a similar thing occurred was in 2013 when England toured Australia for the 2013-14 Ashes. In the third Test of the 5-match Test series, both Alastair Cook and Michael Clarke played the 100th Test match of their careers.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Jonny Bairstow will become a part of the Test cricket folklore when they take the field in the IND vs ENG 5th Test starting on March 7 at the Dharmshala Cricket Stadium. They will only be the 3rd pair in Test cricket history to achieve this rare landmark of playing their 100th Test together.
