India’s star off-spinner, R Ashwin reached a milestone by becoming the second Indian bowler after Anil Kumble to pick up 450 Test wickets. On Thursday, February 9, during the opening day of the first Test against Australia at Nagpur, he dismissed Alex Carey.
The Indian off-spinner has now become the second-fastest bowler in the world to reach 450 Test wickets, just behind Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan. He accomplished this feat in his 80th Test match.
Furthermore, Ashwin has joined an exclusive group of just nine bowlers in Test cricket history to reach 450 Test wickets. He stands behind Australia’s Nathan Lyon, who holds 460 Test wickets in 115 games and is ranked higher in the tally of most wicket-takers in Test cricket history.
Ashwin is second highest wicket-taker for India in the Tests
- Anil Kumble – 619 (132 games)
- R Ashwin – 450* (89 games)
- Kapil Dev – 434 (131 games)
On Thursday, Ashwin dismissed Alex Carey in the 54th over during the first Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy that started on February 9th and will run until mid-March. The Nagpur pitch aided the spinners, as the SG ball softened up.
Ashwin broke the threatening partnership between Carey and Peter Handscomb by bowling Carey around his legs. Carey missed his reverse sweep and saw his stumps crashed by Ashwin.
Australia faced trouble after losing their openers cheaply. But Marnus Labuschagne (49) and Steve Smith (37) brought them back with an 82-run stand for the third wicket. Ravindra Jadeja then broke the partnership and completed a brilliant fifer on his comeback for India, who he hadn’t played for in five months.
Playing his first game for India in five months, Jadeja picked important wickets such as Labuschagne, Smith, Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb, and debutant Todd Murphy. Ashwin joined in and accounted for the wickets of Carey, Pat Cummins, and Scott Boland, earning a three-wicket haul.
Thanks to Jadeja and Ashwin’s heroics, India managed to stop Australia at 177 in the first innings. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul then helped India reach 77/1 at stumps on Day 1 in Nagpur.
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