On Day 1 in Nagpur, Ashwin wrote history.
Ravichandran Ashwin, India’s veteran right-arm off spinner, showed glimpses of his widely renowned bowling ability yet again on Day 1 of the ongoing first Test between India and Australia at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur, becoming the second-fastest bowler to claim 450 wickets in Tests behind Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan.
Ashwin provided excellent support to Ravindra Jadeja, who returned with a fantastic five-wicket haul to help India restrict Australia to 177 in the first innings. Ashwin’s name was added to the wickets column the moment he dismissed Australia’s wicket-keeper batter Alex Carey. Carey looked dangerous, but before he could take the game away from India, Ashwin dispatched him for his 450th Test scalp.
Muralitharan of Sri Lanka is the fastest to reach a century of Test wickets. Muralitharan still holds the record for most Test scalps with 450 in just 80 matches.
Ashwin’s next victim was Australia’s Test captain, Pat Cummins. In the 58th over, Ashwin’s third delivery took the outside half of Cummins’ willow and was easily caught by Virat Kohli, who was standing at first slip.
The off spinner didn’t stop there, taking his third wicket on a carrom ball to dismiss pacer Scott Boland, limiting Australia to 177 and handing the hosts a massive advantage on Day 1 of the Nagpur Test.
Meanwhile, Ravindra Jadeja was the wrecker-in-chief with the ball, bagging a superb fifer on return to decimate Australia’s batting line-up and outclassing two of Australia’s best batters, Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith.
