In a remarkable display of his bowling prowess, Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has surpassed Australian captain Pat Cummins to become the second-highest wicket-taker in the history of the World Test Championship (WTC). Ashwin’s impressive performance in the ongoing first Test against Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai has seen him claim two crucial wickets in the second innings, taking his tally to 176 scalps in 36 WTC matches.
Ashwin’s Resurgence in the Second Innings
After failing to take any wickets in the first innings, Ashwin roared back into form on Saturday, dismissing Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque in the second innings. Islam was caught by Shubman Gill off Ashwin’s bowling, while the Indian spinner clean bowled Mominul, breaching the former Bangladesh captain’s defense.
Ashwin’s three-wicket haul in the third session of the third day’s play helped him surpass Cummins, who has 175 wickets to his name in 42 WTC matches. With Ashwin’s rise to second place with 176, the race for the top spot in the WTC wicket-takers list has intensified.
Australia’s Nathan Lyon continues to lead the pack with 187 wickets in 43 matches, but Ashwin is now hot on his heels. The Indian spinner will have an opportunity to close the gap further in the ongoing Test series against Bangladesh, with the second match scheduled to take place at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur from September 27.
Ashwin’s All-Round Brilliance
Ashwin’s impressive performance in the ongoing Test has not been limited to his bowling exploits. In the first innings, the 38-year-old made headlines with his batting, scoring a century while batting at number eight. His knock of 113 runs off 133 balls, which included 11 fours and two sixes, was the highest individual score for India in the first innings.
Ashwin’s century, along with Ravindra Jadeja’s 86, helped India post a respectable total of 376 runs in the first innings. The two all-rounders also joined an elite list, becoming the only cricketers in WTC history to score 1000 runs and take 100 wickets each.
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