India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Mondaysurpassed Harbhajan Singh to become the country's third-highestwicket-taker in Test cricket. Ashwin bagged the crucial wicket of openerTom Latham to stage Team India's comeback in the ongoing 1st Test between thehosts and New Zealand at Kanpur's Green Park Stadium. A day earlier, he equaledBhajji’s record of 417 wickets while LBW to Will Young.
Ashwin broke Pakistan legend Wasim Akram’srecord for most Test wickets on the third day of the Kanpur Test. Ashwincurrently has 418 Test wickets to his name. Bhajji was quick to congratulateAshwin for surpassing him and wished he gets many more wickets as well. He wrote,“Congratulations @ashwinravi99.. Wish you many more brother.. God bless.. keepshining..”
“I never believed in comparisons. We playedour best cricket in different times, against different opposition. I had donemy best for the country back then and ditto for Ashwin, he did his best now,”the former India spinner said.
Ashwin is now behind Anil Kumble and KapilDev in India's all-time list of highest Test wicket-takers. Kumble, thelegendary leg-spinner, had registered 619 scalps in 132 Tests while the formerIndian skipper, Kapil Dev, had scalped 434 wickets in 131 appearances.
Ravichandran Ashwin is an all-rounder whobats right-handed and bowls right-arm off-break, he plays for TamilNadu in domestic cricket and Delhi Capitals in the IndianPremier League. He is the fastest Indian bowler (also in some records thejoint-fastest in the world) to reach the 50-, 100-, 150-, 200-, 250-, 300-,350- and 400-wicket mark in Test cricket in terms of number ofinnings. He has won eight Man of the Series awards in Test cricket, which isthe highest by an Indian cricketer.