Ravichandran Ashwin boasts these prestigious Test feats versus NZ
Eyes will be on Ravichandran Ashwin as India take on New Zealand in the three-Test series at home, starting on October 16. The veteran off-spinner will lead India's spin attack, which also includes Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav. The star all-rounder, who has over 520 Test wickets, has enjoyed operating against NZ. Let's decode his Test stats versus the Kiwis (bowling).
Best average vs NZ
Ashwin has claimed 66 wickets across nine Tests against NZ at a phenomenal average of 15.43. As per ESPNcricinfo, the 37-year-old doesn't average under 20 against any other team against which he has played at least two Tests. Ashwin's average is also the best among bowlers with 50-plus Test wickets versus NZ. South Africa's pace-bowling legend Dale Steyn (16.04) is next on this list.
Joint-most fifers against NZ
Such has been Ashwin's dominance against NZ that he has claimed six five-wicket hauls across nine Tests against them. No other bowler owns more Test fifers against the Black Caps. Ashwin shares the top spot with England's Ian Botham, his compatriot Derek Underwood, Pakistan's Wasim Akram, and Steyn. Ashwin and Underwood own the joint-most 10-wicket match hauls versus NZ (3 each).
Ashwin shares these records with Steyn
All of Ashwin's six fifers versus NZ have come at home. Steyn is the only bowler with six fifers in this regard. Notably, Ashwin and Steyn also share the record of scalping most Test wickets versus NZ at home (59 apiece). The former averages a stellar 14.83 in home Tests against NZ. Overall, Ashwin is seventh in terms of most Test scalps against NZ.
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Ashwin also holds the third and fourth-best match returns versus the Kiwis in whites. While he claimed 13/140 in the 2016 Indore Test, the off-spinner took 12/85 in the 2012 Hyderabad game. Pakistan's Yasir Shah (14/184) and West Indies's Courtney Walsh (13/55) hold the top two places on this elite list. Meanwhile, Ashwin's best innings figures versus NZ read 7/59.
