Ravichandran Ashwin becomes world's first bowler to achieve this monumental feat

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has yet again achieved an incredible milestone in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) after dismissing Shakib Al Hasan in the ongoing second and final Test against Bangladesh at the Green Park in Kanpur.

On a Monday, September 30, Ashwin has etched his name in history by becoming the first bowler in the world to claim at least 50 wickets in all three editions of the WTC. The 38-year-old spin wizard solidified his reputation as one of the greatest spinners of all time with this remarkable feat while continuing to dominate the ICC Test bowler rankings.

Ravichandran Ashwin becomes the first bowler to take 50 wickets in every WTC edition

The moment of glory came on Day 4 of the ongoing Kanpur Test, when Ashwin dismissed Bangladesh’s star all-rounder Shakib for just nine runs, marking his 50th scalp in the ongoing 2023-25 WTC cycle. With this dismissal, Team India all-rounder also added another glittering achievement to his already illustrious career.

Ashwin's dominance in the WTC is no surprise, given his consistent performance across all three editions of the championship. In the inaugural 2019-21 cycle, the Indian spin maestro snared 71 wickets in 14 matches.

He continued his magic in the 2021–23 edition, where he grabbed 61 wickets in 13 matches, and now, with 50 wickets in just 10 matches in the ongoing cycle, Ashwin is showing no signs of slowing down and is on the verge to break a couple of records.

Ashwin on the cusp of breaking Nathan Lyon's record in WTC

While other top bowlers like Australia's Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, and New Zealand's Tim Southee have managed to take 50 or more wickets in two WTC cycles, none have been able to match Ashwin’s unmatched consistency across all three editions of the WTCH.

Ashwin has 182 wickets in just 37 matches to his name in the WTC so far, which highlights his dominance and longevity in Test cricket. What makes Ashwin's latest milestone even more impressive is that he is now within striking distance of becoming the all-time leading wicket-taker in WTC history.

Bowlers with the most wickets in WTC

Nathan Lyon (Australia) – 187

Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 182*

Pat Cummins (Australia) – 175

Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 147

Stuart Broad (England) – 134

With just six more wickets needed to surpass Lyon’s current record of 187 dismissals, Ashwin is set to achieve another big milestone in the WTC. If Ashwin manages to take two more wickets in the ongoing second and final Test against Bangladesh, he will surpass Australia’s Josh Hazlewood to become the leading wicket-taker in the ongoing WTC 2023-25 cycle.

Hazlewood has claimed 51 wickets in 11 matches during this cycle so far, and Ashwin is now on the verge of breaking the Australian pacer's record.

Bowlers with 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

Nathan Lyon (Australia) – 43

Additionally, Ashwin, who took six wickets for 88 runs in the first Test of the series held in Chennai, is just three wickets away from achieving his 38th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. If he achieves this feat in the second innings, he will surpass Shane Warne's record of 37 five-wicket hauls in Test cricket.

Further, Ashwin's second wicket in Bangladesh’s first innings allowed him to equal former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan's record for the most wickets in India-Bangladesh Test matches. Zaheer took 31 wickets in seven Tests against Bangladesh, while Ashwin is currently playing his eighth, and he has already 31 dismissals to his name.

Bowlers with 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