India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed his 500th Test wicket on day two of the third match against England. Image: EPA/DEAN LEWINS
Ravichandran Ashwin set to pass Dale Steyn in quickest to 400 wickets list
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is set to pass not one but two cricketing legends should he take six wickets against England in the third Test.
India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed his 500th Test wicket on day two of the third match against England. Image: EPA/DEAN LEWINS
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin put in an incredible all-round performance with the bat and ball in the second Test against England in Chennai.
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Ravichandran Ashwin showcased how to bat on a pitch which came in for criticism as he went on to register his fifth Test hundred in India’s second innings.
The 33-year-old all-rounder had already done damage with the ball in England’s first innings picking up his 29th fifer in helping dismiss the visitors for 134 in reply to the hosts’ first innings total of 329.
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Ravichandran Ashwin picked three more wickets in the second innings as India bowled out England for 164 to win the Test by 317 runs to square the four Test series at 1-1.
With eight wickets in the match, Ashwin took his total tally of Test wickets to 394.
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As India prepare for the third Day/Night Test at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, 24 February, Ashwin is eyeing the ‘400 club’.
As pointed out by the Hindustan Times, if he manages to get the six wickets he requires to reach the milestone he will become the second quickest bowler to claim 400 Test scalps, surpassing New Zealand’s Richard Hadlee and South Africa’s Dale Steyn who are tied for second fastest.
Hadlee and Steyn took 80 Tests to reach the mark.
If Ashwin reaches 400 Test scalps in Ahmedabad he will do so in his 77th Test.
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No surprise to learn that Sri Lanka legend Muttiah Muralitharan is the fastest to the mark having taken just 72 Tests.
Meanwhile, should he reach the mark, Ravichandran Ashwin will become the 16th player to do so and the sixth spinner to achieve the milestone.
He will become the third Indian spinner to do so after Anil Kumble (619) and Harbhajan Singh (417).
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