Kanpur ,September 25 (NIA): Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Sunday became the second fastest bowler to claim 200 Test wickets, achieving the milestone in his 37th match.
AFP reports that Ashwin is just behind Australia’s Clarrie Grimmett who took 36 Tests to achieve the feat, and ahead of greats Waqar Younis of Pakistan and Australia’s Dennis Lillee who both took 38 Tests.
Ashwin reached 200 by dimissing New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson in Kanpur, where India are playing their 500th Test.
Ashwin earlier dented New Zealand’s chances by sending openers Tom Latham and Martin Gutpill back to the pavilion, as the visitors chase a mammoth 434 for victory on four day.
The 30-year-old from Chennai, who made his debut against the West Indies in 2011, is currently ranked third in the International Cricket Council (ICC) ratings for Test bowlers.
Ashwin, who has become India’s frontline bowler, also becomes the fastest off-spinner in history to reach 200 wickets.
Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan managed to take 200 wickets in 42 Tests, followed by Lance Gibbs of the West Indies, Pakistan’s Saqlain Mushtaq and India’s Harbhajan Singh.
Harbhajan Singh was the fastest Indian before Ashwin and he did it in 46 Tests.
In getting there, Ashwin amassed 18 five-fors and four 10-wicket match hauls. He has more Man-of-the-Series awards than any other Indian. To go with that Ashwin has also scored four hundreds.
“I’d say the last 80-100 wickets have been very, very good for me,” Ashwin told ESPN cthe ricinfo after the day’s play.
“Ever since I came back from Australia last year, and went to Bangladsh, I think that’s when I really started enjoying my bowling. I knew what I was doing very clearly, started planning my dismissals, knew exactly how to set batsmen up. It has been a wonderful journey over the last couple of years, I just hope it keeps going for some time. ”
