As India geared up for their first test series in 2024 at home soil versus the Bazball infused England team from 25th January 2024 in conquest to the top spot in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 table , all eyes were on experienced and veteran offspinner of India Ravichandran Ashwin. Indian ace off spinner on home pitches Ravichandran Ashwin has an impeccable record versus England and would had loved to continue the same in the upcoming series.
Ravichandran Ashwin was stranded on 499 wickets post Vizag Test was set to become second Indian spinner after legendary Anil Kumble (619 wickets) to become the second Indian spinner who will surpass 500 wickets mark in the upcoming match at Rajkot whenever he captures his first scalp in the third test match.
However since the first test which India lost till date in the ongoing second test Ravichandran Ashwin until the last day has not been able to stamp his authority over rampaging English batters in conditions where unlikely the previous tours pitches were even for both batter and bowlers.
As England newbie spinners Tom Hartley and Rehan Ahmed are amongst top wicket takers in the series it is to surprise that Indian top wicket taker is a fast bowler in Jasprit Bumrah with 12 wickets so far not Ravichandran Ashwin who has got 7 wickets till date in the series.
Ravichandran Ashwin – An effective all rounder reaches 500 Test wickets at Rajkot.
Meanwhile a potential all rounder at number 8, Ravichandran Ashwin who started his first class and school age cricket as an opening batter for his home team TamilNadu, is no geek with the bat having an average of 23.69 in tests with a strike rate of 51.48 inclusive of 5 test centuries out of which one came in the last series versus the Englishmen at home in Chennai where he and the other century man Rohit Sharma on a sluggish Chennai wicket helped India won a match.
With the ball on Indian pitches versus any opposition over a decade now Ashwin has been a threat since his test debut in 2011 having taken over the mantle of Indian spin legacy from the likes of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh successfully. His bowling figures at home stands an impressive at 337 wickets from 55 matches only with a best of 7 for 59 inclusive of 26 five wickets haul and 6 ten wickets hauls in both innings of a test match.
Ashwin has an impeccable record versus the Englishmen at home and away and in this series requires just eight more wickets to become India’s leading wicket taker versus England in tests. In this series where records would galore for Ravichandran Ashwin, he could be the only second bowler to complete 100 wickets in India -England tests after James Anderson(139 wickets).
Also Ashwin requires only 13 wickets to complete 350 test wickets at home. In the process Ashwin can also become second Indian bowler after Anil Kumble (895) to deliver 600 maiden overs in Tests in India . With so many records in sight it is evident that Ravichandran Ashwin was supposed to be an be an impending threat on the English batters. Ashwin boasts a stellar record at home with 346 wickets in 57 Tests at a sensational average of 21.27, including 26 five-wicket hauls.
India’s premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Friday became only the second Indian and ninth overall to take 500 wickets in Test cricket. Ashwin accomplished the landmark during the third Test against England in Rajkot, making him only the second Indian after the legendary Anil Kumble to take 500 Test wickets.
Ashwin needed one wicket to reach 500 wickets before the start of the third Test and the off-spinner completed the milestone in England’s first innings when he dismissed Zak Crawley for 15. Zak Crawley fell to a top edge while attempting a sweep from outside leg. Ashwin’s teammates gathered around him to offer their congratulations, marking him as only the second Indian to reach this illustrious milestone. It’s undoubtedly a moment for celebration, but there’s also the recognition that there’s still work to be done in the larger context of the game.
Ashwin also became only the second bowler after Sri Lanka great Muttiah Muralitharan to take 500 wickets in less than 100 Tests. Ashwin, who has been the fastest Indian to reach 50, 100, 150, 200, 350, 400 and 450 Test wickets, is also the fastest in the world to reach 250 and 300 Test wickets.
Ashwin’s journey to 500 Test wickets has been marked by a series of record-breaking achievements as the off-spinner set a world record by reaching 250 wickets in just 45 matches and continued his impressive form to reach 300 wickets in 54 matches. Ashwin’s relentless pursuit of excellence saw him reach 350 wickets in 66 Tests, and he secured his 400th wicket in his 77th Test match. By the time he played his 89th Test, he had already amassed 450 wickets.
This excellent journey from the Indian spin maestro of the modern generation has impressed former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra who lauds Ashwin for such a magnanimous achievement.
How do you try to measure Ravichandran Ashwin’s greatness- Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra reckons the number of Player of the Series awards Ravichandran Ashwin has won could be a yardstick to judge his greatness.
Ashwin became the ninth bowler and fifth spinner to pick up 500 Test wickets when he dismissed Zak Crawley on the second day of the third Test between India and England in Rajkot on Friday, February 16. The visitors ended the day at 207/2 after Rohit Sharma and company were bowled out for 445.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra lauded Ashwin for becoming the second-fastest bowler to 500 Test wickets.
“Ravichandran Ashwin – spinners are not known for their speed but second-fastest to reach that milestone. How do you try to judge or measure his greatness? A huge thing is how many Player of the Match or Player of the Series awards you won,” he said
The former India opener noted that the off-spinner is one of the greatest match-winners in the history of Test cricket.
“In India, no one has got more than him and he has played 98 matches only. I think he is No. 2 in the entire world as well, but a legit repeated, serial match-winner, Man of the Series winner. His performances have been amazing,” Chopra added.
Ashwin has won the Player of the Series award on 10 occasions in Test cricket. He is behind only Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan, who bagged the accolade 11 times and was also the fastest to 500 Test wickets.
Aakash Chopra on Ravichandran Ashwin’s evolution as key spin bowler for India
Aakash Chopra noted that Ravichandran Ashwin had to develop new deliveries once the Doosra was banned.
“Ravichandran Ashwin’s evolution as a bowler is very important because the Doosra was allowed when he started playing. Then when the Doosra wasn’t allowed, you needed to find things to remain relevant, you had to do something different and he did that,” he stated.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the wily spinner has been virtually equally effective against right and left-handed batters.
“He developed the carrom ball. He developed that patience and tried to pick up wickets in different fashions. He succeeded in that. His numbers are amazing against both left-handed and right-handed batters. If he has dismissed 251 right-handers, he has dismissed 249 left-handers as well,” Chopra observed.
Chopra claimed Ashwin’s success can’t be attributed to rank turners in India, pointing out that he outbowls the other spinners on the same surface. He added that the Tamil Nadu bowler is adept at both cleaning up the tail and dismissing the openers with the new ball, a quality that is generally not seen in spinners.
With the third test at Rajkot held at balance after end of Day 2 , Ravichandran Ashwin having completed 500 test wickets was supposed to be the key for India over next 3 days but an unfortunate family incident has forced the Indian offspinner to leave the test match midway. It would be now interesting how India now without the services of Ravichandran Ashwin over next 3 days manages to bounce back and take a 2-1 lead over England before going to Ranchi for the 4th Test.