Ravichandran Ashwin set to overtake Nathan Lyon and make history in New Zealand Test series

The three-match Test series between India and New Zealand is set to kick off on October 16 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. After a dominating 2-0 victory against Bangladesh in their previous Test series at home, the Indian cricket team is now looking to clean-sweep the Kiwis.

This will be New Zealand’s first Test series in India since 2021, where they suffered a 0-1 defeat. Historically, the New Zealand cricket team has never won a Test series in India, and this time also, the Indian cricket team is aiming to maintain their unbeaten record at home.

Ravichandran Ashwin eyes historic milestone as India gears up for New Zealand Test series

One player to watch during the upcoming India vs New Zealand Test series is Ravichandran Ashwin, who was named Player of the Series for his all-round contribution to the home team’s series win against Bangladesh.

Ravichandran Ashwin is once again gearing up to showcase his spin wizardry on home turf against the New Zealand side. With the three Test matches scheduled in Bengaluru, Pune, and Mumbai, the Indian spin all-rounder is expected to spread his spin magic and turn out to be a nightmare for the New Zealand batters.

Ashwin is also on the cusp of achieving a historic milestone in the upcoming Test series against the Kiwis. Ravichandran Ashwin is on the brink of making history as he eyes a remarkable milestone in the upcoming Test series against New Zealand.

Ravichandran Ashwin set to overtake Nathan Layon in historic WTC milestone

Ravichandran Ashwin is just three wickets shy of surpassing Australian spinner Nathan Lyon's record of 187 wickets and becoming the leading wicket-taker in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

After narrowly missing out on this achievement during the recent home Test series against Bangladesh, where he fell short of the three wickets needed to achieve this milestone, Ashwin will be determined to continue his steady all-round form and overtake Nathan in the WTC feat.

With a total of 185 wickets to his name, Ravichandran Ashwin is not only on the verge of overtaking Lyon but also chasing an extraordinary feat that would see him become the first bowler in history to claim 200 wickets in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

Players with most wickets in WTC:

Nathan Lyon: 187 (43 matches)

R Ashwin: 185 (37 matches)

Pat Cummins: 175 (42 matches)

Mitchell Starc: 147 (38 matches)

Stuart Broad: 134 (33 matches)

Notably, Ashwin has an impressive record against New Zealand, as the senior off-spinner is the highest wicket-taker for India against the Kiwis in Test cricket. In just nine Test matches, the Indian spinner has claimed a remarkable 66 wickets. Following Ashwin, New Zealand great Richard Hadlee holds the second spot, having taken 65 wickets in 14 Tests against India.

Recently, Ashwin set multiple records during the Test series against Bangladesh. The Indian off-spinner equaled Shane Warne’s tally of 37 five-wicket hauls, placing them both second on the all-time list, behind Muttiah Muralitharan, who holds the top spot with 67 five-wicket hauls in Test cricket.

The Indian all-rounder also surpassed Anil Kumble as India's leading wicket-taker in Test cricket. Adding to his achievements, Ashwin earned his 11th Player of the Series award in Test cricket, equaling Muralitharan but reaching this milestone faster, achieving it in just 42 series.