4 players to pick up a five-wicket haul in their 100th Test ft. Ravichandran Ashwin

The final match of the five-match series between India and England at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala saw the hosts clinch a victory by an innings and 64 runs on just the third day. As a result, the hosts won the series 4-1 and strengthened their spot on the World Test Championship points table.

The game was even more special for veteran all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin as he picked up a match-winning five-wicket haul in what was his 100th appearance in Test cricket. In the second innings, Ashwin got the ball rolling from the word go and picked up the 36th fifer of his career.

When Ashwin took the field on March 7 for the fifth Test, he became the 13th Indian cricketer to feature in 100 Test matches. Overall, Ashwin became the 77th cricketer to reach the landmark and got plenty of reasons to celebrate the achievement.

While a total of 80 cricketers have played 100 or more Tests, only four have managed to pick up a five-wicket haul in their 100th match in the format. With that, let’s look at four cricketers with a five-wicket haul in their 100th Test.

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#4 Ravichandran Ashwin (India) vs England, 2024

India's sensational spin-bowling all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin is the most recent entrant on the elite list. After missing out on a five-wicket haul in the first innings of the fifth Test against England at Dharamsala, Ashwin bamboozled the hosts in the second innings to reach the milestone.

He finished with nine wickets to his name from the game to register match figures of 9/128, the best among all four players on the list. Ashwin registered 5/77 in the second essay to dismantle England’s top-order lineup.

Ashwin also finished with the highest number of wickets in the series, with 26 scalps from five matches. The 37-year-old put up multiple match-winning performances and registered two fifers and one four-wicket haul throughout the five-match series against the Englishmen.

Courtesy of Ashwin’s heroics and equal contributions from every player on the side, India managed to complete a dominating 4-1 victory against England.

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#3 Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) vs Bangladesh, 2006

Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan too had a memorable 100th Test as Sri Lanka edged past Bangladesh in the first Test at Chattogram to kick off the two-match series in style. He registered a six-wicket haul in the second innings, becoming the third cricketer to pick a fifer in his 100th Test.

Sri Lanka toured Bangladesh in 2006 for three ODIs and two Tests. After winning the ODI series 2-1, the island nation clinched an eight-wicket victory in the first Test. The victory was even more special for Muralitharan who made his 100th appearance in the format.

Lasith Malinga dominated with the ball in the first innings with a four-fer, but Muralitharan contributed equally well to register 3/87. The second essay was all about the spinner and his heroics as he registered 6/54 in 19.5 overs, setting the tone for the batters to chase the target to take SL over the finish line.

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#2 Anil Kumble (India) vs Sri Lanka, 2005

If India ever had a match-winning bowler, it was Anil Kumble. The tall spinner never disappointed in the longest format of the game and led India to several memorable wins with his unique style.

Kumble became the fifth Indian cricketer, and the 34th overall, to play 100 Test matches. The leg spinner finished his career as India’s leading wicket-taker in the format, with 619 scalps to his name from 132 matches and best bowling figures of 10/74.

Notably, Kumble is still the bowler with the most wickets for India in Tests. In his 100th Test against Sri Lanka in Ahmedabad, he could pick up only two wickets in the first innings.

The ‘Jumbo’, however, registered 5/89 in the second essay to become just the second cricketer to achieve the milestone of a fifer in their 100th Test and finished with match figures of 7/176.

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#1 Shane Warne (Australia) vs South Africa, 2002

Shane Warne recieves his 100th Test Cap

The finest spinner that the world has ever witnessed, late Australian cricketer Shane Warne was the first player in the history of the sport to pick up a five-wicket haul in their 100th Test.

He set a benchmark in the year 2002 when Australia toured South Africa for three Tests and seven ODIs. In the second Test of the series at Cape Town, Warne picked up a couple of wickets to register 2/70 in 28 overs.

He then showcased his batting skills in the first innings and notched up a quick-fire half-century and finished with 63 runs off 65 balls, a knock that included 10 fours and a six.

Taking over bowling duties in the second essay, Warne picked up a six-wicket haul and finished with 6/161 in 70 overs, thereby helping his side restrict the hosts to 473 in the innings.

The leg break-googly bowler registered match figures of 8/231 and even scored 15*(18) in the final innings to complete Australia’s chase, thereby playing a key role in the side’s victory.