Ravichandran Ashwin


 

Ravichandran Ashwin is just 10 wickets away from completing 500 wickets in Test matches. He has played 95 Tests, and in the upcoming 5-match series against England starting on January 25, he could play his 100th Test. Ashwin could achieve the milestone of 400 wickets in Asia with 13 wickets in the series.

 

Among the current spinners, Australia's Nathan Lyon is the only one who has taken more Test wickets than Ashwin, but he takes 63 deliveries per wicket, while Ashwin takes a wicket every 51st ball. This is better than the eight bowlers who have taken more Test wickets than him.

 

In the active spinner category, Lyon, Ravindra Jadeja, and Shakib Al Hasan are often compared to Ashwin. Let's see how their test performances compare to Ashwin's.

 

Ashwin has taken 490 wickets in 95 Tests, achieving 10 or more wickets in a match eight times. He takes a wicket approximately every 51st ball. He stands as the second-most successful Indian bowler in terms of Test wickets, with only leg-spinner Anil Kumble ahead of him with 619 wickets.

 

In the World Test Championship (WTC) that started in 2019, Ashwin has taken 148 wickets in 30 matches, placing him in the third position among the top wicket-takers in the championship. Australia's Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins are ahead of him.

 

In Asia, Ashwin has taken 387 wickets in 46 Tests. He takes a wicket every 46th ball in spinning conditions. If he takes 13 wickets in the series, he will become the first active spinner to reach 400 wickets in Asia, surpassing Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (618) and India's Anil Kumble (619).

 

Ashwin is on the verge of achieving 500 Test wickets. If he takes 10 wickets in the series against England, he will complete 500 Test wickets. Only eight bowlers have achieved this milestone so far, and Ashwin could become the ninth. Considering India's spin-friendly pitches, it's possible that Ashwin's bowling strike rate may drop below 50, which no one has achieved more than him.

 

Let's find out who else stands up to Ashwin among the world's other active spinners:

 

  1. Nathan Lyon, Australia: Takes 12 deliveries more than Ashwin to pick a wicket.

Australian spinner Nathan Lyon has 512 wickets to his name, but he has played 126 matches. Ashwin has played only 95 matches, meaning Lyon takes an average of 4 wickets per match, and Ashwin takes 5 wickets on average. Ashwin's bowling strike rate in Test cricket (balls bowled per wicket) is also better than Lyon's. Ashwin takes a wicket every 51st ball, while Lyon needs 63 balls to pick a wicket.

 

In terms of bowling strike rate in the WTC, the Indian spinner is ahead. In the championship, Lyon has taken 169 wickets at a bowling strike rate of 60.5, while Ashwin has taken 148 wickets at a better strike rate of 46.3. In the current season, Ashwin has taken 16 wickets in 3 matches at a strike rate of 40.87, while Lyon has taken 25 wickets in 6 matches at a strike rate of 44.56.

 

Asian pitches are like heaven for spinners, but even there, Lyon takes about 62 deliveries to get a wicket, while Ashwin takes a wicket every 46th ball.

 

  1. Ravindra Jadeja, India: Better than Ashwin in taking '10 wickets' in a match

Both are Indian spinners, but Ashwin is better than Ravindra Jadeja in many aspects. Whether it's about wickets in Asia, career wickets, or strike rate, Ravichandran Ashwin outperforms Jadeja. Ashwin has taken 10 or more wickets in a match eight times in his Test career, while Jadeja has only done it twice.

 

In his Test career, Jadeja has taken 275 wickets in 68 matches at a strike rate of 59.46. Jadeja needs 59 deliveries to pick a wicket, which is eight more than Ashwin. Jadeja is better than Ashwin in batting and fielding, which is why, in the last 10 years, Jadeja has been given priority in India's playing XI in overseas Tests.

 

In the WTC's 27 matches, Jadeja has taken 83 wickets, averaging 3 wickets per match. On the other hand, Ashwin has been taking an average of 5 wickets per match. In the current season, Jadeja has taken 16 wickets in 3 matches at a strike rate of 40.87, while Lyon has taken 25 wickets in 6 matches at a strike rate of 44.56.

 

In Asia, Jadeja takes wickets quickly. He has 207 wickets in 42 Tests, averaging about 5 wickets per match, and takes a wicket every 54th ball. However, here Ashwin is slightly better, taking a wicket every 46th ball.

 

  1. **Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh:** Better than Indian spinner in terms of test experience, strike rate, and economy

Among the top active spinners in the world, Shakib Al Hasan is considered weaker compared to Ashwin, Lyon, and Jadeja. However, Shakib made his debut four years before Ashwin in 2007 and has been playing Test cricket since then. At 36 years old, Shakib is currently one of the best left-arm spinners in the world.

 

Shakib has taken 233 wickets in 66 Tests at a bowling strike rate of 63.4. He has taken 10 wickets in a match twice, which is equal to Jadeja but less than Ashwin. Shakib takes a wicket every 63rd ball, which is equal to Lyon but weaker than Ashwin.

 

His form has been poor in recent years. In the WTC, he managed to take only 16 wickets in 8 matches. In the current season, he has not taken a single wicket. Due to being from Bangladesh, Shakib has played most of his Tests in Asia. In 48 Tests in Asia, he has taken 170 wickets. He takes an average of 7 wickets in 2 matches, which is 3 wickets less than Ashwin.

 

Shakib is also slightly better than Ashwin in terms of batting, but Ashwin is ahead of Shakib in the ICC's Test all-rounder rankings. Ashwin is in third place, Jadeja is in first place, and Shakib is in second place. In the bowlers' rankings, Ashwin is at the top.

 **India-England Test