Ravichandran Ashwin reaches 520 Test wickets, overtakes Courtney Walsh to historic milestone

Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin stood at the edge of greatness as he achieved a big milestone after dismissing Shakib Al Hasan in the second innings of the first Test against Bangladesh on Day 4 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, September 22.

The big moment arrived when Ashwin spun a ball to get the batter of the ace Bangladesh all-rounder, marking his 520th wicket in Test cricket.

Ravichandran Ashwin surpasses Courtney Walsh to become 8th highest wicket-taker in Test history

With this milestone, the Indian off-spinner surpassed the West Indies legend Courtney Walsh (519) and became the 8th highest wicket-taker in Test history.

Ashwin (520) is now in eighth place in the list of all-time highest wicket takers in Test cricket, which is led by Muttiah Muralitharan (800), followed by Shane Warne (708), James Anderson (704), Anil Kumble (619), Stuart Broad (604), Glenn McGrath (563), and Nathan Lyon (530).

Ashwin becomes the 8th in the Leading wicket-takers list in Test history.

- Ash over takes Courtney Walsh. 👊 pic.twitter.com/ZFxPyRnKKI

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 22, 2024

The crowd and the bowler erupted in joy, as this milestone was not just a number but a testament to his skill and determination. Ashwin was later adjudged Player of the Match for his remarkable all-round contribution in India’s comprehensive 280-run win over the Bangladesh team in the first Test in Chennai on Sunday.

Ravichandran Ashwin creates history with all-round brilliance in Chennai Test

Additionally, Ashwin made history by becoming the oldest Indian to take a five-wicket haul in Test cricket at 38 years and 5 days during the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. He surpassed Vinoo Mankad's previous record set in 1955.

He also achieved the milestone of scoring a century and taking a five-wicket haul in the same for the fourth time in Tests, placing him behind only Ian Botham. Also, Ashwin equaled the record for seven five-wicket hauls in the fourth innings, alongside legends Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan, further solidifying his place in cricket history.

Notably, the Indian all-rounder played a remarkable knock of 113 runs off 133 balls in the first inning to help the hosts recover from a poor start and post 376 runs on the board against the Tigers. However, Ashwin went wicketless in the first innings but returned as much as dangerous he could be and finished with the 6/88 in 21 overs to help the hosts finish the game early.

It's more about enjoying cricket: Ashwin on his approach

After the match, the senior off-spinner shared that his approach to the game has evolved over the past five years, and it's more about enjoying cricket. The legendary off-spinner also acknowledged the significant impact his wife has had on this shift in mindset.

He also reflected on his journey, noting that he couldn't measure his exact influence on the games. He added that stepping into the big shoes of Harbhajan Singh is a big thing, and he has emulated him since his early years. Ashwin acknowledged the early doubts about his red-ball potential due to his IPL background, but with the support from everyone, he is now here.

Ashwin said at the post-match presser: “I can't really comment on what sort of impact I have had on this Test match. I had huge shoes to fill; I came in to replace Harbhajan. I used to replicate his action in junior cricket; he was an inspiration to me. Constantly people have doubted if I could deliver in red-ball as I came from IPL; lots of people have come and helped me.”