Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin missed out on the milestone of becoming the fastest from his country to race to 500 Test wickets, remaining on 499 scalps as India defeated England by 106 runs in the second Test at Vizag. Ashwin looked on the cusp of beating Kumble to becoming the fastest Indian to record 500 wickets in the longest format of the game but he couldn’t get the milestone scalp before Ben Stokes’ men were bowled out. But, Ashwin did go on to register another phenomenal record.
Ashwin registered his name in history as he became India’s leading wicket-taker in Test cricket against England. The off-spinner surpassed the legendary leg-spinner Bhagwath Chandrasekhar to make the milestone his own. Chandrasekhar had picked up 95 wickets from 23 wickets with 8 five-wicket hauls to his name against England.
Before the Vizag Test, Ashwin was 2 wickets short of making the record of being India’s highest wicket-taker in Tests against England his own. In the first innings, he didn’t get any success, failing to claim a single wicket. Ashwin, however, isn’t on the top of the list when it comes to leading wicket-takers in Test matches between India and England.
Veteran pacer James Anderson, who picked up 3 wickets in the first innings of the Test match, occupies the numero uno spot, with 144 wickets in 36 Tests to his name against India.
Fastest to 500 Test wickets:
Mutthiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka) in 87 matches
Anil Kumble (India) in 105 matches
Shane Warne (Australia) in 108 matches
Glenn McGrath (Australia) in 110 matches
Courtney Walsh (West Indies) in 129 matches
James Anderson (England) in 129 matches
Stuart Broad (England) in 140 matches
Ashwin picked up three wickets in the second innings of the Vizag Test, taking his overall tally to 499. But, it was the Jasprit Bumrah show that sealed India’s victory, helping the hosts level the series 1-1.
