Ravichandran Ashwin Might Even Break Muttiah Muralitharan’s Record Of 800 Test Wickets - Brad Hogg

Former Australia spinner Brad Hogg feels that Ravichandran Ashwin can play Test cricket till he’s 42, and thus even surpass Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan’s record of 800 Test wickets, which he claimed a decade ago and has often seemed insurmountable.

With 409 scalps in 78 Tests at 24.69 apiece, the India off-spinner currently is the sixth-highest Test wicket-taker amongst spinner – behind Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble, Rangana Herath, and Harbhajan Singh.

“I think he will probably play till 42 in Tests. I think his batting might drop off but he’ll be more lethal with the ball by the time passing by. I can see him pushing 600+ Test wickets at least. He might even break Muttiah Muralitharan’s record (of 800 Test wickets) as well,” Brad Hogg told Timesnownews.com.

He’s so good because he is adaptable and his hunger to grow up as a cricketer: Brad Hogg

Brad Hogg, who picked 181 wickets for Australia, opines that R Ashwin’s adaptability to different conditions and his hunger to get better as a cricketer is a key reason for his success.

On the last tour of Australia, Ashwin was brilliant with the ball – and bat as well in Sydney – returning with 12 scalps in 3 Tests. He was then the Man of the Series against England for his all-round dominant performances. He is fourth on ICC’s Test all-rounder rankings – behind only Jason Holder, Ben Stokes, and Ravindra Jadeja.

“The reason why I think he’s so good because he is adaptable and his hunger of continuing to grow up as a cricketer. He also played county cricket to get used to England conditions and that’s how he has become so successful especially in recent years,” the 50-year old former chinaman stated.

R Ashwin will next tour England, where his record – 14 wickets in 6 Tests at 32.92 – is not great by his standards. However, with a new zeal in him, and in Indian cricket, there are all possibilities that he will only better it. Again, it remains to be seen if India goes with Ashwin or Jadeja or both in the eleven as they embark on a 6-Test journey to the UK.

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