The off-spinning all-rounder broke Kapil Dev’s record on Day 3 of the first Test between India and Sri Lanka.
Modern-day great Ravichandran Ashwin created history in the first Test match against Sri Lanka in Mohali, as he overtook the legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev’s tally of 434 wickets in Test cricket to become India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the longest format, only behind leg-spin wizard Anil Kumble, who has 619 wickets to his name.
However, Ashwin made it clear that going past the former World Cup-winning captain’s record was never his objective and expressed his gratitude to have been able to represent his country at the highest level for such a long time.
Ashwin dismissed Pathum Nissanka to secure his 435th scalp in Test match cricket on Day 3 of the first Test match to go past Dev’s record. India completely dominated the Sri Lankans in all departments, wrapping up the Test match in less than three days, winning by an innings and 222 runs. Ravindra Jadeja put in a sublime performance, scoring a fantastic 175* and then picking up nine wickets in the Test match.
Ashwin’s achievement came in his 85th Test match, whereas Dev took 131 Tests to reach the same tally. Ashwin recalled a fanboy moment as he cheered for him to get to the world record tally of wickets 28 years ago, and said that it felt surreal to actually beat that very record.
“28 years ago, I was cheering the great @therealkapildev on to get his world record tally of wickets. I never had the slightest of ideas that I would become an off spinner, play for my country and even manage to go past the great mans tally of wickets. I am delighted and very grateful to what this game has given me so far,”
Ashwin wrote on his social media handles as fans were overjoyed with his extraordinary achievement.
Ashwin also had a few words to say about bowling on the Mohali pitch. The Tamil Nadu all-rounder said that the track was a difficult one to bowl on, and that one had to bowl in the right areas for extended periods of time to get wickets. He also credited pacers Bumrah and Shami for amping up the pressure on the Sri Lankan batsmen, prompting him and Jadeja to draw out errors from them.
“The surface was a really good one, it was not easy to get batters out when they were defending. You had to bowl tight for sustained periods. I think Shami and Jasprit created pressure from the end where it wasn’t turning much.”
Ashwin concluded.
