IND vs NZ 2021: Ravichandran Ashwin Goes Past Harbhajan Singh To Become India's 3rd Highest Wicket-Taker In Tests

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin went past former cricketer, Harbhajan Singh, in the list for the most wickets taken by an Indian bowler in Tests. He achieved the feat on Day 5 of the Kanpur Test against New Zealand.

Ashwin had 413 wickets before the start of the first Test. He took a three-wicket haul in the first innings before taking one on Day 4 to equal Harbhajan’s tally of 417 wickets. On Day 5, he bowled Kiwi opener, Tom Latham, to go past the total and become the third highest wicket taker for India in Tests.

Only Anil Kumble with 619 wickets and Kapil Dev with 434 wickets are ahead of the 35-year-old Ashwin. Notably, Ashwin took only 80 matches to get to 418 wickets while Harbhajan Singh achieved the feat in 103 matches. Ashwin’s average of 24.56 and strike rate of 52.47 are also significantly better than Harbhajan’s.

New Zealand batsmen keep India’s bowlers at bay on Day 5

Starting off on 4/1, the Kiwis needed 280 runs on a fifth-day track in Kanpur to achieve a remarkable win. They played out the opening session without losing a single wicket as overnight batsmen, William Sommerville and Tom Latham, gave nothing away to the bowlers.

Soon after Lunch, Umesh Yadav struck with the very first ball to dismiss Sommerville. Latham was then joined by his skipper, Kane Williamson, as they forged another defying partnership before Ashwin broke through. It was a rather lucky dismissal aided by the low bounce that sent Latham back.

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