During the current Test match between India and England in Rajkot, Ashwin reached the milestone. At the conclusion of the second Test in Vizag, the off-spinner had claimed 499 wickets. On the second day of the third Test, he claimed his 500th wicket when he dismissed Zak Crawley.
Since Anil Kumble, Ashwin is the only bowler from India to surpass the 500-wicket mark in Test cricket. He is also the ninth bowler overall. On the list of highest wicket takers in Test history, the other spinners ahead of him are Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, and Nathan Lyon.
After Muttiah Muralitharan, Ashwin became the second-fastest player in Test history to reach the milestone, having done it in 98 Test matches. It took more than 100 Test matches for each of the other seven bowlers to reach that milestone.
Ashwin’s “destiny” to reach the milestone at Jadeja’s home ground of Rajkot was a light-hearted remark made by his colleague Ravindra Jadeja on the eve of the Test.
Ashwin takes 500-Wicket in Test Cricket
In his Test career, Ashwin has amassed 34 five-wicket hauls and eight match hauls of ten wickets. The only bowlers still playing who have amassed more than 400 wickets in Test cricket are James Anderson, Lyon, and Ashwin.
