IND vs ENG 3rd Test: Ashwin claims 500th Test wicket, becomes second Indian to achieve the feat

Ravichandran Ashwin (Pic: AFP)

In the IND vs ENG 3rd Test, veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin became the only second Indian bowler after former player Anil Kumble to achieve the feat of 500 test wickets. He is also the only third off-spinner to attain the milestone.

Anil Kumble tops the Indian table with 619 test wickets.

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Ashwin claimed his 500th wicket on day two of the IND vs ENG 3rd Test. He was just shy of one wicket and it came in the way of England's opening batsman Zak Crawley. He mis-timed a sweep which landed in the safe hands of Rajat Patidar at short fine leg. This happened after the hosts were bowled out for 445 runs in the first innings of the IND vs ENG 3rd Test.

Except Ashwin, the other off-spinners to achieve the feat of 500 test wickets are Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (800) and Australia's Nathan Lyon (517).

Overall, Ashwin is only the ninth bowler to take 500 wickets in the traditional format, scaling the landmark in his 97th Test.

Having made his Test debut in 2011, Ashwin has come a long way.

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The engineering graduate from Chennai started out as a top-order batter and tried his hand at medium pace bowling before settling for the role of an off-spinner, a decision that was forced by a back injury during his teenage years.

Following the Kumble and Harbhajan Singh era, Ashwin had big shoes to fill and he has done that with remarkable consistency.
In his first 16 Tests, Ashwin snared nine five-wicket hauls and became the fastest to the 300 wickets club.

Ashwin has also proved his worth in the shorter formats, having played 116 ODIS for his 156 wickets in the format. He has 72 wickets in 65 T20 International appearances.

(With PTI Inputs)