Ravichandran Ashwin set five new records during his 12-wicket haul

During India’s tour of the West Indies, Ravichandran Ashwin showcased his exceptional skills by setting five new records in the first Test held in Dominica. The star off-spinner delivered a remarkable performance, claiming a staggering 12-wicket haul. Ashwin’s phenomenal display not only played a crucial role in India’s victory but also etched his name in the record books.

Also Read: BCCI announces both men’s and women’s squads for the upcoming Asian Games

The West Indies started their second innings with a 271-run deficit and were dismissed for 130 in just 50.3 overs. Ashwin, along with Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj, was instrumental in dismantling the West Indies line-up. Ashwin used his variations to draw the West Indies batters forward, resulting in LBW and close-in fielders coming into play.

The Chennai-born off-spinner took 7/71 in the second innings, adding to his five-wicket haul in the first innings, to finish with 12 wickets in the match. Ashwin’s performance helped him break several records, including the second-most five-wicket hauls in Test cricket by an Indian spinner, the fastest Indian to reach 400 Test wickets, and the most wickets taken by an Indian bowler in the West Indies.

Ravichandran Ashwin Five New Records in Test

1. Joint-most Fifers in IND vs WI Tests

Ravichandran Ashwin has been successful in bowling against the West Indies since his Test debut in 2011, taking 72 wickets at an average of 20.02 in 12 Tests.

He has achieved six five-wicket hauls against the West Indies, which is the same as the legendary Malcolm Marshall’s record for the most five-wicket hauls in Test matches between India and West Indies.

Ashwin’s consistent performance against the West Indies is a testament to his skill and experience and has played a crucial role in India’s success against the Caribbean team.

2. Joint-most 12-wicket hauls

In the recently concluded Test match, Ashwin claimed a 12-wicket haul, marking the sixth time he has achieved this feat in a single Test match. This performance puts him in second place alongside Muttiah Muralitharan, who also has six 12-wicket hauls in his Test career. Ashwin has surpassed Rangana Herath, who achieved this feat five times in his career.

3. Best Test match figures in West Indies by a spinner

Ashwin’s five-wicket haul in the first innings and seven-wicket haul in the second innings helped him achieve combined Test match bowling figures of 12/156. Ashwin’s performance in the Test match is the best by any spinner on West Indian soil, surpassing Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal’s record of 11/111 in 2011. Ashwin’s exceptional performance is a testament to his skill and experience as a spinner.

4. Most 10-wicket hauls for India

Ashwin has established himself as one of India’s all-time greatest Test players. He has achieved the most 10-wicket hauls in a Test match by an Indian player. His 10-wicket haul against the West Indies was his eighth in Tests. Other than Anil Kumble, no other Indian player has achieved eight 10-wicket hauls in Test matches. Ashwin’s exceptional performance is a testament to his skill and experience as a cricketer.

5. Third-most international wickets for India

On Friday, Ashwin achieved a significant milestone by becoming the third-leading wicket-taker for India in international cricket. He is one of the greatest spinners in Indian history and has taken his international wicket tally to 709 in Dominica.

With 697 wickets before the Test match, Ashwin became the third-ever Indian player to take 700+ international wickets. He is just two wickets behind to surpass Harbhajan Singh’s tally of 711 international wickets, who is the second-leading wicket-taker in Indian cricket history at the international level. Anil Kumble is the leading wicket-taker for India with 953 international wickets.