Ravichandran Ashwin is India’s most successful off-spin bowler in Test cricket. He surpassed Harbhajan Singh a long time ago when the Tamil Nadu cricketer bagged his 420th wicket in Tests. But with time, Ashwin is only climbing up the ladder as he closes on Anil Kumble to become India’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. On Thursday (9 Feb), the 35-year-old completed 450 wickets in red-ball cricket.
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As India took on Australia in the 1st Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2022-23, Ashwin dismissed Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey to bring up his 450th Test wicket. The Indian off-spinner bowled Carey as he tried to play a reverse sweep. The ball took the under edge and hit the middle stump.
Notably, as Ashwin completed 450 wickets in just 89 Tests, the Indian offie became the second fastest to achieve the milestone. Ashwin is only behind Sri Lanka's veteran Muttiah Muralitharan (80 Tests) in terms of matches played to complete 450 wickets.
Ashwin did not stop at just the 450th wicket as the India off-spinner bagged a couple of more. After Carey, Ashwin got the best out of Australia captain Pat Cummins as he got him caught at first slip. Ashwin's third scalp came in the form of Scott Boland who just got a ripper from the India veteran. Ashwin bowled a flipper cum carrom ball to leave Boland in tatters.
On the back of Ashwin's three wickets and a five-wicket haul from comeback Man Jadeja, India bundled Australia for 177 in the first innings.
