Ravichandran Ashwin Joins Elite 500 Test Wickets Club

Ravichandran Ashwin has etched his name in the annals of cricket history by becoming the second Indian bowler to take 500 wickets in Test matches. This milestone was reached during the second day of the third Test between India and England in Rajkot, marking a significant achievement in Ashwin’s already storied career.

Ashwin’s Historic Achievement

The off-spinner achieved this landmark by dismissing England’s opener Zak Crawley in the 14th over, not only reaching the 500-wicket milestone but also breaking an ominous opening stand. Ashwin’s feat places him in an exclusive club, becoming just the ninth bowler worldwide to achieve this remarkable milestone. Among Indian bowlers, only the legendary Anil Kumble has more Test scalps, with a total of 619 wickets.

Completing 500 wickets in his 98th Test match, Ashwin has shown exceptional skill and consistency throughout his career. Remarkably, he is also the second-fastest bowler to reach this milestone, with only Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan achieving it in fewer matches (87).

India’s Most Successful Test Bowlers

A look at India’s most successful bowlers in Test cricket underscores the significant contributions of these players to the team’s success over the years:

Rank	Bowler	Wickets	Innings
1	Anil Kumble	619	236
2	R. Ashwin	500	184
3	Kapil Dev	434	227
4	Harbhajan Singh	417	190
5	Zaheer Khan	311	165
6	Ishant Sharma	311	188

Fastest to 500 Test Wickets

Ashwin’s journey to 500 wickets also ranks impressively among the fastest bowlers to achieve this milestone in the number of Test matches played:

Rank	Bowler	Tests
1	Muttiah Muralitharan	87
2	R. Ashwin	98
3	Anil Kumble	105
4	Shane Warne	108
5	Glenn McGrath	110
6	Nathan Lyon	123
7	Courtney Walsh	129
8	James Anderson	129
9	Stuart Broad	140