Ravichandran Ashwin has started the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022/23 with a milestone as the off-spinner became the second fastest to complete 450 Test wickets.
On the opening day of the most-awaited four-match Test series between the hosts India and the visitors Australia, the Baggy Greens were bundled out for only 177 runs at Nagpur. While the left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja made a strong comeback in the national team with a fifer (22-8-47-5), the off-spinner Ashwin bagged three wickets as he ended with the bowling figures of 15.5-2-42-3.
Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Alex Carey to complete 450 Test wickets
Peter Handscomb and Alex Carey were threatening with a solid sixth-wicket partnership, but experienced Ashwin denied making that partnership to be a game-changer. After they set 53 runs for that sixth wicket, Ashwin bowled the wicketkeeper-batter Carey (36), who had a failed reverse sweep attempt.
With that first wicket in his account in the ongoing home BGT 2022/23, Ashwin completed his 450 Test wickets in style. The 36-year-old Indian off-spinner reached this milestone in 89 Tests.
Later, Ashwin also dismissed the Aussie skipper Pat Cummins (6) and no.11 batter Scott Boland (1) to stretch his Test career wickets figure to 452.
Here are some important stats of Ravichandran Ashwin’s 450 Test wickets
(2nd fastest)
Ashwin became the second fastest to complete 450 Test wickets as the Indian off-spinner reached the milestone in 89 Tests. Only Sri Lankan legendary off-spinner Muthiah Muralidaran (450 Test wickets in 80 matches) recorded 450 Test wickets faster than Ashwin.
(2nd Indian bowler)
Ashwin became the second Indian bowler to complete 450 Test wickets. The legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble was the first Indian to achieve this feat (619 Test wickets).
(3rd Asian bowler)
After Sri Lankan Muthiah Muralidaran (800 Test wickets, including for ICC World XI) and Indian Anil Kumble (619 Test wickets), Ashwin became the third Asian bowler to reach the 450 Test wickets milestone.
(5th spinner)
Ashwin became the fifth spinner to reach 450 Test wickets.
(9th bowler)
Ashwin became the ninth bowler to take at least 450 wickets in Test cricket.
