Ravichandran Ashwin eyes iconic 500, chance to surpass Kumble; Full list of records in line for India star in 2nd Test

In Test cricket, Ravichandran Ashwin needs just four more wickets to become a member of the exclusive 500 club.

Here’s the list of the highest wicket-takers in Tests (among spinners)

• Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) – 800
• Shane Warne (Australia) – 708
• Anil Kumble (India) – 619
• Nathan Lyon (Australia) – 517
• Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 496*

New Delhi: Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin scratched his name in the set of experiences book as he turned into the second Indian bowler after unbelievable Anil Kumble to step through 500 wickets in Examination cricket. He arrived at this much-anticipated achievement on day 4 of the second Test between Rohit Sharma-drove Indian cricket crew and Ben Stirs up’s Britain in Vizag, on February 5.

Ashwin is additionally the ninth bowler in history to achieve this notable achievement. Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, James Anderson, Anil Kumble, Stuart Expansive, Glenn McGrath, Courtney Walsh, and Nathan Lyon are the main bowlers to do likewise.

Second Test of the series set to take place in Visakhapatnam between Team India and England, all eyes will be on off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. The veteran bowler from India, who has 496 Test wickets under his belt, is poised to make history. He will become the only other bowler from India to reach 500 wickets with four more wickets.

A “century” against England: It is generally known that Ashwin is a formidable bowler against England. With just six more wickets to go, he will become the first Indian bowler to reach 100 wickets against England in Test cricket, demonstrating his dependability and strength in high-pressure situations.

The Indian spinner is now just behind Bhagwath Chandrashekhar (95 wickets) in the list of all-time wickets against the English team, having eclipsed Kumble in that regard in the previous Test.

Major milestone on Indian soil

Ashwin is on track to become just the second Indian bowler and the fifth overall to reach 350 wickets in Test matches played at home, solidifying his reputation as one of the country’s most productive spinners.

The off-spinner needs seven wickets to reach the crucial mark. It’s interesting to note that Ashwin has a chance to overtake the India icon in the second Test since Kumble ended his career with exactly 350 wickets in Indian territory. The top wicket-takers on home soil are listed below:

• Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) – 493
• James Anderson (England) – 434
• Stuart Broad (England) – 398
• Anil Kumble (India) – 350
• Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 343*

Asian Predominance
Ashwin is only seven wickets away from becoming one of the select few bowlers to take 400+ wickets in Test matches played in Asia. Ashwin has taken 38 wickets in six Test matches in Sri Lanka and 12 wickets in three matches in Bangladesh in addition to his 343 wickets in India.