India’s spin bowling lynchpin Ravichandran Ashwin is at a stage of his career where he is creating a record in every Test match he is playing. Earlier this month, Ravichandran Ashwin captured his 500th wicket in the third Test match of the India-England series becoming the second Indian bowler after legendary Anil Kumble and just the ninth bowler to achieve the feat.
In the first week of March 2024, Ravichandran Ashwin will be playing in his 100th Test match. He will be only the 14th cricketer, among 313 Indian Test players ever, to play in 100 Tests for India. It won’t be wrong to say that Ravichandran Ashwin will leave a massive legacy for the next crop of cricketers.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s journey to 500 wickets and more
Ravichandran Ashwin who started his first class and school age cricket as an opening batter for his home team Tamil Nadu, 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 garnered praises all the world for the massive achievement. However amidst this magnum achievement, and one more to his feather where Ravichandran Ashwin is set to play his 100th test at picturesque Dharamshala , the veteran off spinner has made a peace with a fact that he is not the preferred spinner for overseas conditions over Ravindra Jadeja.
Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of his 100th test match makes a peace with a fact that Ravindra Jadeja is India’s preferred spinner overseas.
At Dharamshala on 7th March, Ravichandran Ashwin will play his 100th test match for India being the India’s current overall leading wicket keeper. Knowing this fact the 37 year old veteran did not hide his disappointment on missing out on overseas tests in recent years as Ravindra Jadeja was preferred over him
Speaking at the pre press conference, Ravichandran Ashwin did not hide his disappointment but also stated that he missing the overseas test matches was done for the teams interest and he is fine with that.
“The only way you can find an answer for that is if you had a time machine, me playing, and then whether the result would’ve been different. It’s always disappointing not to play a particular game for your country. When you know you’re bowling well and all that. Again, I would definitely make peace with it saying the team definitely took the decision in the best interest of the team,” Ashwin was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
“I don’t think any captain or any coach really wants to leave out a player who is really of use in that particular game. From their perspective, they would have thought they made the best decision at that point of time. Even though you’re disappointed, you’ll have to come around the fact that it is a team game, and, sometimes, maybe, someone else will play that game,” he added.
Ravichandran Ashwin further went on to explain how Ravindra Jadeja adds value as a batter in the overseas conditions where spin-bowling might not be the big factor as in subcontinent conditions.
“Look, not a lot of teams around the world have what India has. The person who is taking my place is Ravindra Jadeja. He’s been batting pretty well, as you see (from) his averages with the bat. I think that’s where he outscored me in those games.
“The team believes that he’s been batting pretty well and bowling might not be that much of a factor because of the pitches we might play on in England and sometimes in South Africa. Yeah, so I’d say I’d make peace with that,” the off-spinner commented.
Ravichandran Ashwin averages 42.15 in 10 tests in Australia, 28.11 in seven games in England and 49.63 from seven tests in South Africa. In addition to it he has played only one test in New Zealand where he has got 3 wickets.
In 99th tests Ravichandran Ashwin has claimed 507 test wickets only second to Anil Kumble’s 619 test wicket mark and also has 35 -5 -wicket hauls to his name. Come 100th test at Dharamshala, the Indian offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin would love to make it special with a match winning performance and it would be an icing on the Legends celebration if India wins the series 4-1 at Dharamshala gathering valuable WTC points to their kitty.