Ravichandran Ashwin scripts history as India levels series at MCG

Ravichandran Ashwin scripts history as India levels series at MCG
Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin has undoubtedly been the best off-spinner of the decade in Test cricket. Although many hail his success as a by-product of turning subcontinent pitches, Ashwin has proved them wrong numerous times with his performances overseas. The ongoing India’s tour of Australia is a burning example of his crafty bowling as he has scalped 10 wickets in the two games so far. Ashwin sent Josh Hazlewood packing in Australia’s second innings to bowl out the hosts for 200.

With the wicket, the veteran off-spinner became the bowler with the highest left-hander dismissals in the history of Test cricket. Ashwin has 192 southpaws in his 375 Test wickets while Muttiah Muralitharan, the second in the list boasts of 191 left-hander dismissals in his 800 Test wickets. England’s James Anderson, Aussie duo of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne and Indian leggie Anil Kumble make up the top five of the list.

Ashwin breaks into top five in yet another elite list

ravi ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin

The recently concluded Boxing Day Test saw India seal a clinical win over the Aussies. India were superior with both the bat and ball as they sealed an eight-wicket win to level the series. Ashwin bowled 64.1 over in the game. And with it, he became the fifth bowler in the list of most balls bowled in Test cricket for India. The list is dominated by the great spinners India has produced over the years. Kumble tops the list followed by Harbhajan Singh, Kapil Dev and Bishan Singh Bedi in the top four.


Ashwin has bowled 20,012 balls thus far in all whites for India while Kumble has bowled a whopping 40,850 deliveries. The Indian off-spinner is in fine form in the Test series having scalped the important wickets of Steve Smith as many as two times in the series so far. Ashwin has been phenomenal with the new ball too. He wreaked havoc in tandem with Jasprit Bumrah in the first innings of the recently concluded second Test. His exceptional performance in the series opener in Adelaide saw him return to the side for an overseas Test after a long time.

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