New Delhi: R Ashwin on Saturday equalled the legendary Shane Warne’s record with his 37th five-wicket haul for India in Test cricket. Ashwin achieved the feat on Day 4 of the 1st Test between India and Bangladesh at his home ground, the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Ashwin finished with six wickets in Bangladesh’s second innings as India won the game by a huge margin of 280 runs.
After going wicket-less during the visitors’ first innings, Ashwin was all over Bangladesh during their mammoth 515-run chase in their second innings in Chennai. The veteran off-spinner had picked up three wickets on Day 3 to reduce Bangladesh to 158/4 at stumps and continued from where he had left on Day 4.
Ashwin struck early in the morning session to get rid of Shakib Al Hasan on 25 before completing his fifer with the wicket of Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the 58th over to put India in touching distance of a comprehensive win. Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed turned out to be Ashwin’s final wicket in the innings as he finished with excellent figures of 6/88 off his 21 overs.
It was Ashwin’s 37th five-wicket haul for India in Tests that put him on level terms with Aussie legend Warne, who finished his career with 37 fifers and 708 wickets in 145 matches. Warne is the second-highest wicket-taker of all time in Tests behind only Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan. Ashwin now stands only behind Muralitharan (67) on the list of bowlers with the most fifers in Test history.
Most five-wicket hauls in Test history:
Muttiah Muralitharan – 67 fifers
Shane Warne – 37 fifers
R Ashwin – 37 fifers
All-round Ashwin stamps authority in Chennai
Ashwin stamped his authority at his home ground in Chennai with a terrific all-round effort in India’s thumping win against Bangladesh. After playing a brilliant knock of 113 runs to rescue India after a batting collapse in their first innings, Ashwin continued his fine form with the ball and picked up a six-wicket haul.
Ashwin became the first player to pick up a five-wicket haul and score a century at the same venue twice. The veteran Indian spinner had achieved the elusive feat of a fifer and a hundred in the same match against England in Chennai in 2021.
Team India spinner R Ashwin equalled the legendary Shane Warne’s all-time record with his 37th fifer in Test cricket during the Chennai Test against Bangladesh. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
