Roseau: Ravichandran Ashwin, the veteran Indian spinner, achieved a significant milestone on Saturday as he surpassed Harbhajan Singh to become the second-highest wicket-taker for India in international cricket. Ashwin achieved this feat during the first Test of the two-match series against the West Indies in Dominica.
Ashwin showcased one of his finest away performances, taking 5/60 in the first innings and an outstanding 7/71 in the second innings, resulting in combined figures of 12/131. With this remarkable performance, Ashwin now has a total of 709 wickets in 271 international matches. His bowling average stands at an impressive 25.67, and his best bowling figures are 7/59. He has also claimed 27 four-wicket hauls, 34 five-wicket hauls, and eight ten-wicket hauls in international cricket.
The leading wicket-taker for India in international cricket is Anil Kumble, who has taken 953 wickets in 401 matches at an average of 30.06. Kumble’s best figures are 10/74. He achieved 39 four-wicket hauls, 37 five-wicket hauls, and eight ten-wicket hauls throughout his illustrious career. Harbhajan Singh now occupies the third position with 707 wickets in 365 matches, at an average of 32.59. His best figures are 8/84, and he has secured 19 four-wicket hauls, 28 five-wicket hauls, and five ten-wicket hauls in international cricket.
With this recent ten-wicket haul, Ashwin has equaled Kumble in terms of the most ten-wicket hauls by an Indian bowler, with a total of eight. Harbhajan Singh is next in line with a total of five ten-wicket hauls.
Ashwin’s figures of 12/131 are the third-best bowling figures by an Indian in an away Test match. The top performance by an Indian overseas was achieved by Bhagwath Chandrashekhar, who took a combined 12/104 in a Test against Australia in Melbourne in 1977. Irfan Pathan is in second place, having dismantled Zimbabwe with his 12/126 at Harare in 2005.
Furthermore, Ashwin’s 12/131 is also the third-best bowling performance by a player in an India-West Indies Test. The best bowling performance by an Indian against the West Indies to date is by Narendra Hirwani, who took 16/136 at Chennai back in 1988. Andy Roberts holds the records for the second-best performance with his figures of 12/121 against India in Chennai in 1975.
Ashwin has secured a five-wicket haul in both innings of a Test match on six occasions, the most by an Indian player. Sri Lankan spin great Muttiah Muralidaran holds the overall record with 11 such instances.
Additionally, Ashwin now has six five-wicket hauls against the West Indies, the most by an Indian player. He has also equaled Malcolm Marshall’s record for the most five-wicket hauls in India-West Indies Tests.
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