Ravichandran Ashwin just two scalps short of becoming fastest to claim 250 Test wickets

What’s the story?

India’s spinning sensation Ravichandran Ashwin is nearing yet another record as India get ready to lock horns against neighbours Bangladesh in a one-off Test match at Hyderabad starting from February 9.

Ashwin has 248 Test wickets in his bag from 44 matches and is just two scalps away from becoming the fastest bowler to reach the 250 milestone.

In case you did not know

The Chennai-born off-spinner has been quite a sensation in Test matches for team India where in 2016 he bagged 72 wickets from 12 games to finish as the highest wicket-taker in the cricketing world for the second year running.

The 30-year-old had earlier surpassed the likes of Pakistan legend Waqar Younis and Dennis Lillee to be the second quickest to 200 Test wickets when he picked up a 10 wicket haul against New Zealand in Kanpur last September. Ashwin got to the landmark in his 37^th Test while Waqar and Lillee both did it in 38.

The No.1 spot is still held by former Australia leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett, who took just 36 Tests to claim his 200^th victim.

Also, Ashwin holds the Indian record of winning the most number of man-of-the-series awards with 7. Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag have five awards each.

The heart of the matter

Lillee got to the 250^th Test wicket mark after 48 games. So Ashwin still has four more matches at hand. But he would ideally want to break the record in Hyderabad itself as he has been in rich form with the leather in whites.

If he does grab two wickets against Bangladesh he would have done it in just 45 matches which in itself is quite an achievement.

The Hyderabad track is also known to assists the spinners and it has been a happy hunting ground for the tweaker too. He has bowled in four innings at the ground and has picked up five-fors in three of them.

What’s next?

We will have to wait and see if Ashwin does get to the record in the Test match. With the kind of form he is in, he might do it in the first innings itself. But then with cricket you never know.

Sportskeeda’s take

Ashwin has been India’s top bowler for the last few years and if anyone deserves this record it is him. Also, this milestone might just motivate him further to do well in One-Dayers where he hasn’t had the best of times recently.