In a remarkable achievement, Ravichandran Ashwin has made history on September 30 by becoming the first bowler to dismiss at least 50 batters in each edition of the World Test Championship (WTC). The 38-year-old spinner from Tamil Nadu reached this milestone during the ongoing second Test against Bangladesh at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, where he dismissed Shakib Al Hasan for nine runs on the last ball of the 56th over.
A Milestone Moment
Ashwin’s accomplishment cements his status as one of the premier bowlers in Test cricket. He now stands at the pinnacle of WTC bowling records, having taken 50 wickets in the current WTC cycle (2023-25) after just ten matches. This latest feat adds to his impressive record of 71 wickets in the 2019-21 cycle and 61 wickets in the 2021-23 edition.
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Ashwin’s WTC Bowling Stats:
| Cycle | Matches | Wickets | Best Figures (Innings) |
| 2019-21 | 14 | 71 | 7/145 |
| 2021-23 | 13 | 61 | 6/91 |
| 2023-25 | 10* | 50* | 7/71 |
| Total | 37* | 182* | 7/71 |
With this achievement, Ashwin has also positioned himself as the second-leading wicket-taker in WTC history, trailing only Australia’s Nathan Lyon, who has 187 wickets. Ashwin is just six wickets away from surpassing Lyon’s record and becoming the leading wicket-taker in WTC history.
The Competition He Faces
Australia’s Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, and New Zealand’s Tim Southee have each dismissed more than 50 batters across two out of three WTC editions. However, Ashwin’s unique distinction of achieving this milestone in all three editions sets him apart from his contemporaries.
As it stands, Ashwin has accumulated a total of 182 wickets across his 37 WTC matches, and he needs just six more dismissals to break Lyon’s record.
Most Wickets in WTC History:
- Nathan Lyon (Australia) – 187
- Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 182*
- Pat Cummins (Australia) – 175
- Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 147
- Stuart Broad (England) – 134
If Ashwin manages to take two more wickets in the ongoing match, he will also surpass Australia’s Josh Hazlewood, who currently leads with 51 wickets in the ongoing cycle.
Most Wickets in WTC 2023-25:
- Josh Hazlewood (Australia) – 51
- Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 50*
- Pat Cummins (Australia) – 48
- Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 48
- Chris Woakes (England) – 43
Equaling Historical Records
In addition to his achievements in the WTC, Ashwin’s second wicket against Bangladesh helped him equal former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan‘s record for most wickets in Tests between India and Bangladesh. Both players have now taken 31 wickets against Bangladesh in red-ball cricket.
Most Wickets in India-Bangladesh Tests:
- Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 31*
- Zaheer Khan (India) – 31
- Ishant Sharma (India) – 25
- Umesh Yadav (India) – 22
- Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) – 21
Ashwin, who claimed six wickets for 88 runs in the first Test played in Chennai earlier this month, is just three wickets away from achieving his 38th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. If he accomplishes this feat, he will surpass Shane Warne’s record of 37 five-wicket hauls, further solidifying his legacy as one of cricket’s greatest spinners.
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