India offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin has reached yet another milestone, becoming the latest bowler in Test history to take 500 wickets. Ashwin was stuck on 499 wickets when the second Test between India and England came to an end earlier this month in Vizag.
He didn’t have to wait long though after coming in to bowl during the Day 2 of the third Test, currently underway in Rajkot.
After India were bowled out for 445 on Friday, England were off to a superb start with the opening pair of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley adding 89 runs in just 13 overs.
Ashwin put an end to the partnership off what was just his seventh delivery of the contest. Crawley went for a sweep shot but ended with a top-edge which was taken by Rajat Patidar at fine leg.
With that dismissal, the 37-year-old became the second ever Indian bowler to enter the 500 Test-wicket club joining the legendary Anil Kumble.
Top-10 highest-wicket taker in Indian Test history
*Stats updated till the fall of first England wicket in IND-ENG 2024, 3rd Test
Overall, Ashwin is the ninth bowler to do so and the fifth spinner in history.
He’s now among the three active players with 500 or more wickets in the format joining James Anderson (696) and Nathan Lyon (517).
Top-10 highest wicket-takers in Test history
*Updated till first innings of IND vs ENG 2024, 3rd Test in Rajkot
Ashwin, an engineering graduate, started playing cricket as a top-order batter before trying hand at medium pace bowling. However, he eventually turned to offspin bowling, a decision that was forced by a back injury during his teenage years.
Following the Kumble and Harbhajan Singh era, Ashwin had big shoes to fill and he has done that with remarkable consistency. In his first 16 Tests, Ashwin snared nine five-wicket hauls and then became the fastest to the 300 wickets club reaching the milestone in just 54 matches surpassing Dennis Lillle of Australia who took 56 Tests.
While Ashwin has become a modern great in red-ball cricket, he has also been a quality bowler in white-ball cricket for India having taken 156 wickets in 116 ODIs.
He has 72 wickets in 65 T20Is as well.
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