In the first innings of the fourth Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Ahmedabad, Ravichandran Ashwin led India’s spin assault by taking six wickets for ninety-one runs against Australia.
With the dismissal of Todd Murphy, the off-spinner completed a five-wicket haul and also broke Anil Kumble’s record for the most wickets taken by India against Australia in Tests. Kumble retired from international cricket in November 2008 after playing the first two Tests of the 2008-09 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. The legendary bowler finished his career with 111 wickets in 38 innings across 20 Tests against Australia.
Ravichandran Ashwin has now surpassed Kumble to become India’s greatest wicket-taker against Australia.
The 36-year-old has taken 113 wickets in 41 innings of 22 Tests to date. Along with this achievement, the renowned spinner has also tied Nathan Lyon for the most wickets taken in the Border-Gavaskar Cup.
Lyon has taken 113 Indian batsmen in 47 innings throughout 26 Tests (Border-Gavaskar Trophy). Ashwin and Lyon are their respective teams’ leading wicket-takers in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. With 24 wickets in seven innings in four games, Ashwin leads the current Test series in terms of wickets taken.
Earlier, in the first Test of the championship at Nagpur, he became the second bowler in India’s history to capture 450 wickets in the longest format of the sport after removing Alex Carey in the first innings.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly praises Ashwin’s bowling.
Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly praised the elegant spinner after Ashwin’s brilliant bowling performance in the first innings. Ashwin helped India make a comeback on the batting surface in Ahmedabad by dismissing the dangerous Cameron Green on 114.
Following Green’s dismissal, he grabbed the wickets of Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Todd Murphy to end Australia’s innings with 480 runs. Earlier on Day 1, he provided the squad with a breakthrough by removing Travis Head.
Ganguly tweeted, “Nice to see Ashwin bowl so well on a good surface.. class will always show.. hopefully this will be a good test match.. excellent opportunity for indian batsmen after some tough wickets to bat on in this series.. @bcci @ashwinravi99.”
India
