R Ashwin is in with a chance to go on a milestone spree as India face England in the second Test, starting Friday, February 2 at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam.
Ashwin is on the threshold of 3 massive feats. Starting with, he is only 2 wickets short of becoming the leading wicket-taker for his country in Test matches between the 2 teams. Currently, leg-spinner Bhagwath Chandrasekhar is on top of the list, having taken 95 wickets from 23 matches with 8 five-wicket hauls to show for his efforts.
Ashwin is also 6 wickets away from becoming the first Indian and the second overall to pick up 100 or more wickets in Test matches between England and India. James Anderson holds the top spot as he has 139 wickets from 35 matches with 6 five-wicket hauls to his name.
As far as Ashwin is concerned, he has taken 94 wickets against England in 20 matches with 6 five-wicket hauls and a 10-wicket haul.
Can R Ashwin break Anil Kumble’s record?
Ashwin is also on the cusp of becoming the fastest Indian and the second-fastest overall to 500 wickets in Test cricket. Anil Kumble holds the Indian record, having reached the milestone back in 2006 against England in his 105th Test match.
Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan holds the overall record after he picked up his 500th wicket in his 87th Test back in March 2004.
Ashwin had his fair share of success in the Hyderabad Test, which India lost by 28 runs. In the first innings, he finished with figures of 21-1-68-3 after picking up the wickets of Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Mark Wood.
In the second, he got the crucial scalps of Crawley, Ben Stokes and Tom Hartley, but he could not help India avoid a defeat.
In 96 Test matches, Ashwin has taken 496 wickets at an economy rate of 2.77 with 34 five-wicket hauls and 8 10-wicket hauls.
India are 0-1 down in the series and will be desperate to make a comeback in Vizag to make it 1-1.
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