Ashwin joins Shane Warne, Stuart Broad in rare double in Tests

Ravichandran Ashwin, the off-spinner from India, has recently accomplished a remarkable feat in Test cricket, becoming only the third player in history to achieve both 3000 runs and 500 wickets. This milestone was reached during the third match of the five-game Test series against England in Rajkot when Ashwin dismissed Zak Crawley.

Beyond his skills as a formidable Test bowler, Ashwin has showcased his batting skills by amassing over 3000 Test runs. His 500th wicket marks a unique Test double, a league shared only by two other cricketing legends in the history of the sport – Shane Warne and Stuart Broad. Throughout his Test career, Ashwin has contributed significantly with the bat, scoring a total of 3308 runs, which includes 5 centuries and 15 fifties in addition to his impressive 500 wickets.

Back in 2006, Anil Kumble became the fastest Indian to claim 500 wickets in Test cricket. The accomplished leg-spinner reached this feat in his 105th Test during a match against England at the PCA Stadium in Mohali.

And now after 18 years, Ravichandran Ashwin has surpassed Kumble’s record. Ashwin secured his position as the fastest Indian to 500 Test wickets, achieving this remarkable feat in only his 98th Test. While Ashwin’s achievement places him as the second-fastest among Indians, the overall record is held by Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan, who achieved 500 Test wickets in his 87th Test during a match against Australia in Kandy in 2004.

Before this, Ashwin found himself 10 wickets away from the 500-wicket milestone. Following the second Test in Visakhapatnam, he remained on 499 wickets until he finally achieved the landmark in Rajkot.

Ashwin’s initial four centuries in Test cricket were secured against the West Indies. In 2021, he added a fifth century to his record, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Additionally, in the first innings of the Rajkot Test, Ashwin scored 37 runs off 89 balls, featuring 6 fours.

The Australian cricketer Shane Warne, with an impressive 708 wickets in 145 Tests, stands as the country’s all-time leading wicket-taker and has scored 3145 runs. Warne retired from Test cricket in 2007. On the other hand, Stuart Broad, who amassed 3662 runs in his Test career, has picked up 604 wickets. Broad chose to retire from all forms of the game in July 2023.

Shane Warne – 3154 runs and 708 wickets

Stuart Broad – 3662 runs and 604 wickets

R Ashwin – 3308 runs and 500 wickets