By taking seven wickets in the second innings of 1st test against West Indies Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin moves a position ahead and surpasses second-highest wicket-taker Harbhajan Singh for India in international cricket.
Ashwin becomes Second Highest Wicket-taker of India
The Indian spinner recorded his finest performances, taking 5/60 in the first innings and 7/71 in the second innings finishing the first test with a figure of 12/131. With numerous achievements in test records, Ashwin has 709 wickets in 271 international matches after Anil Kumble.
The wickets come at an average of 25.67 and his best figures is 7/59. He has 27 four-wicket hauls, 34 five-wicket hauls, and 8 ten-wicket hauls in international cricket.
Former India’s cricket Anil Kumble has taken 953 wickets in 401 matches at an average of 30.06 with best figures of 10/74. He has 39 four-wicket hauls, 37 five-wicket hauls, and eight ten-wicket hauls.
Ravichandran Ashwin surpasses Harbhajan and becomes the second-highest wicket-taker for India in international cricket.
Harbhajan has now slipped to third position, with 707 wickets in 365 matches at an average of 32.59 and best figures of 8/84. He has 19 four-wicket hauls, 28 five-wicket hauls, and 5 ten-wicket hauls in international cricket.
Ashwin has equalled Anil Kumble in terms of the most ten-wicket hauls by an Indian bowler, with a total of eight. Harbhajan is next with a total of 5 ten-wicket hauls.
Ashwin’s figures of 12/131 are the third-best bowling figures by an Indian in an away Test after Bagwhath Chandrasekar with 12/104 and Irfan Pathan with 12/126.
The spinner’s 12/131 is also the third-best bowling performance by a player in India-West Indies Test. The best bowling performance by an Indian against the Windies till this day is by Narendra Hirwani, who took 16/136 at Chennai back in 1988. He is followed by Andy Roberts, who took 12/121 against India in Chennai back in 1975.
Ashwin has secured a five-wicket haul in both innings of a Test six times, the most by an India. Overall, this feat has been performed the most by Sri Lankan spin great Muttiah Muralidaran, who did it 11 times.
The spinner now has six five-wicket hauls against Windies, the most by an Indian. He also equaled Malcolm Marshall in taking the most five-wicket hauls in India-West Indies tests.
WI Vs IND 1st Test
West Indies opted to bat first and was folded by India for 150 in their first innings. Athanaze (47) and skipper Braithwaite (20) were the only ones who contributed something to the scoreboard. Ashwin’s five-wicket haul and Ravindra Jadeja’s figures of 3/26 were the best ones in the bowling charts.
India ended the first day of their first innings with 80/0, with Rohit Sharma (30*) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (40*) unbeaten.
Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a century on his Test debut and becomes the 17th Indian to register this record. He joins the list of Indians who have scored a century on Test debut with Virender Sehwag, Shikhar Dhawan, and Rohit Sharma.
Rohit was dismissed for 103 in 221 balls, consisting of 10 fours and two sixes. This ended a 229-run opening stand.
After Rohit’s dismissal, Jaiswal and Virat Kohli had a partnership of 110 runs for the third wicket. Jaiswal was dismissed after scoring 171 in 387 balls, consisting of 16 fours and a six. Kohli missed out on his century, scoring 76 in 182 balls consisting of five boundaries.
India declared their innings at 421/5, with Ravindra Jadeja (37*) and debutant Ishan Kishan (1*) unbeaten.
West Indies once again failed to face the spinners, the Ashwin-Jadeja duo as they took a total of 9 wickets in the second innings. Both all-rounders showcase their skills on their spells, folding out West Indies for just 130 runs.
Ashwin took 7/71 and Jadeja took 2/38. Mohammed Siraj got one wicket. With this victory, India didn’t have to play the second innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal won the ‘Man of the Match’ for his century. India is leading the two-match series 1-0.
