R Ashwin claims successive three-fers against Australia in 2nd Test
Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took a three-fer (3/59) in the second innings against Australia in the Delhi Test. His efforts bundled out Australia for 113. The veteran completed six wickets in the match and breached the 100-wicket mark versus Australia in Tests. Earlier, he completed a distinguishable feat of 5,000 runs and 700 wickets in First-Class cricket. We decode his Test stats.
Ashwin's Test numbers against Australia
Ashwin has now raced to 103 scalps in 20 matches against Australia in Test cricket. He averages 29.09 (5WI: 6). He grabbed figures of 3/57 in the first innings to reach 100 Test scalps against Australia. He followed it up with 3/59 in 16 overs. He has the second-most wickets for India in Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He only ranks behind legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble (111).
A look at Ashwin's Test numbers
Ashwin made his Test debut against West Indies in 2011. He has since clipped 463 wickets in 90 matches at 23.98 (5WI: 31). He has taken 326 scalps at home, averaging 20.85. He owns 133 and four wickets at away and neutral venues, respectively.
A noteworthy feat for Ashwin
Ashwin chimed in a handy 37 runs in the first innings. He became only the fifth Indian to complete a double of 5,000 runs and 700 wickets in First-Class cricket. Vinoo Mankad (11,591 and 782), Srinivas Venkataraghavan (6,617 and 1,390), Kapil Dev (11,356 and 835), and Kumble (5,572 and 1,136) are the others. Meanwhile, Ashwin owns 5,015 FC runs and 705 wickets.
Fastest Indian to 450 Test wickets
Ashwin is just the second Indian bowler after Kumble to complete 450 wickets in Test cricket. He attained the feat during the Nagpur Test. Overall, he is the ninth bowler in Test history to have entered this club. Ashwin (89 Tests) became the fastest Indian to have taken 450 Test wickets. He broke Kumble's record, who reached this landmark in 93 Tests.
Ashwin owns 25 Test fifers at home
Ashwin and Kumble are the only players with over 20 Test fifers in India (25). Harbhajan Singh follows the duo with 18 such five-wicket hauls. According to ESPNcricinfo, only two players have registered more Test five-wicket hauls at home than Ashwin and Kumble. Only former Sri Lanka spinners Muttiah Muralitharan (45) and Rangana Herath (26) are ahead of the Indian duo in this regard.
How has the 2nd Test panned out?
Australia crawled their way to 263. Fifties from Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb played an invaluable role in the same. India racked up 262, riding on the heroics of Axar Patel (74) and Ashwin (37). For Australia, Nathan Lyon took a fifer. Ravindra Jadeja's seven-wicket haul folded Australia for 113, setting a 115-run target. India need less than 100 runs to win the Test.
