Ravichandran Ashwin became the highest wicket-taker in the history of the World Test Championship during the first day of the second India vs New Zealand Test on Thursday.
Ashwin, who represents the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, picked up 3/64 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune to go past Nathan Lyon in the bowling charts of the WTC. His spell also helped the Indian cricket team restrict the Kiwis to 259 in their first innings.
The 38-year-old all-rounder currently has a tally of 189 wickets from 39 matches in the WTC at an impressive average of 20.76 and a strike rate of 44.57, while the Australian spinner is second on the list with 187 scalps.
With the three-wicket haul, Ashwin also moved clear of Lyon to be in seventh place in the overall bowling charts in Test cricket. He has 531 wickets compared to Lyon’s 530.
Ashwin had gone past Aussie pacer Josh Hazlewood to the top of the wickets table in the WTC 2023-25 cycle during India’s recently concluded two-match Test series against Bangladesh.
The off-spinner has already picked up 57 wickets from 12 matches in the current WTC cycle and averages 22.57 picking up wickets at an astonishing frequency of 39.10 balls.
In the Test match, New Zealand, after electing to bat first, saw off the pacers’ spell with the new ball to be placed at 30/0 after the first seven overs. However, Ashwin struck with his fifth ball of the match, trapping the visiting skipper Tom Latham in front of the wicket.
Just as the Kiwis were looking to go into lunch without further damage, the off-spinner picked up his second wicket of the match. Ashwin sent back Will Young, who was caught behind, to go level with Nathan Lyon for most wickets in Test cricket.
Post lunch, Ashwin came to the fore dismissing Devon Conway (76), New Zealand’s top-scorer in the first innings, with Rishabh Pant taking his second catch of the match. Then it was Washington Sundar who picked up the remaining seven wickets as New Zealand were all out for 259.
Playing a Test match after three years and seven months, Sundar (7/59) ran through the New Zealand middle and lower order to pick up his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket and registered his career-best figures too.
