Ravichandran Ashwin continues to make history for India, and the first day of the second Test against New Zealand in Pune was no exception. The 38-year-old spinner surpassed Australia’s Nathan Lyon to become the highest wicket-taker in the World Test Championship (WTC).
Ashwin began the match with 186 WTC wickets, just one behind Lyon. He caught up with the Australian off-spinner when he dismissed New Zealand captain Tom Latham. Soon after, Ashwin took another wicket, sending Will Young back to the pavilion to overtake Lyon’s record with 188 wickets.
In addition to his WTC milestone, Ashwin tied with Lyon for overall Test wickets, both standing at 530 after Ashwin’s second wicket. However, he quickly moved ahead by taking his 531st Test wicket, dismissing Devon Conway after lunch, which pushed him to seventh place on the all-time list.
Ashwin’s WTC tally now stands at 189 wickets in 39 matches with an outstanding average of 20.75. His achievements include 11 five-wicket hauls and nine four-wicket hauls. Australian fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc follow behind Ashwin with 175 and 147 wickets, respectively, on the WTC list.
The next challenge for Ashwin and Lyon will be the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, set to begin in Australia on November 22.
Ravichandran Ashwin Shines as India Dominates New Zealand in Pune
On Day 1 of the second Test in Pune, Ravichandran Ashwin gave India a strong start after a surprising loss in the first match. Ashwin quickly removed New Zealand’s top three batsmen, leaving them at 138/3.
Following Ashwin’s early breakthroughs, Washington Sundar, playing his first Test since March 2021, stepped up. The 25-year-old spinner delivered an impressive spell, taking 7 wickets as New Zealand collapsed to 259 all out after being in a promising position at 197/3. Sundar’s spell was crucial in turning the game in India’s favour, as the Kiwis lost their last seven wickets for just 62 runs. Sundar ended with brilliant figures of 7/59 in 23.1 overs, marking his first-ever five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
Ashwin also rebounded from a rare off-performance in the first Test, finishing with 3/64 in 24 overs. Both spinners played key roles in helping India regain control in the series.
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