5 records for Ravichandran Ashwin from his five-for in Chennai

Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates a wicket

Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin spun a web around the English batsmen on Day 2 of the second Test in Chennai.

The 34-year-old claimed excellent figures of 5 for 43 in 23.5 overs as the visitors rolled over for 134 in 59.5 overs, responding to India’s first innings total of 329.

After Ishant Sharma trapped Rory Burns lbw for a duck, Ravichandran Ashwin got into the act by sending back Dom Sibley (16). The offie got one to bounce and Sibley’s sweep found the back of the bat on the way to the slips.

Then, Ravichandran Ashwin had Dan Lawrence (9) caught at short leg off the last ball before lunch. His biggest scalp though came when he foxed Ben Stokes for 18 with one that spun past his bat and hit the stumps.

Ashwin proceeded to have Olly Stone (1) caught at short midwicket before completing his five-for by cleaning up Stuart Broad for a duck.

A record-breaking five-for for Ravichandran Ashwin

With his latest five-wicket haul on his home ground, Ravichandran Ashwin broke a number of impressive records. Here’s a round-up.

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#1. First bowler to dismiss 200 left-handers in Test cricket

By getting Stuart Broad clean bowled, Ravichandran Ashwin became the first-ever bowler in Test history to have dismissed 200 left-handers.

The off-spinner already holds the record for having dismissed the most southpaws in Test history. Ashwin’s most frequent Test victims are David Warner (10), Alastair Cook and Ben Stokes (9), Ed Cowan and James Anderson (7).

Among the other bowlers who have dismissed the most left-handers in Test cricket are Muttiah Muralitharan (191), James Anderson (190), Glenn McGrath (172), Shane Warne (172) and Anil Kumble (167).

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#2. Ravichandran Ashwin equals Glenn McGrath on list of most five-fors

Ravichandran Ashwin’s five-for on Sunday was his 29th five-wicket haul in Test matches, and second in successive Tests. He is now joint-seventh with Aussie legend Glenn McGrath on the list of bowlers with the most five-fors in Test cricket.

England great James Anderson, who has been rested for the ongoing Test, is just above Ravichandran Ashwin on the list with 30 five-wicket hauls.

Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan (67) has claimed the most five-fors in Test cricket, followed by Warne (37), Sir Richard Hadlee (36), Anil Kumble (35) and Rangana Herath (34).

Among spinners, he is now fifth on the list of bowlers with the most five-fors, after Murali, Warne, Kumble and Herath.

This was also Ravichandran Ashwin’s 27th five-wicket haul in Asia, joint-equal with Kumble. Muralitharan (52) and Herath (30) are the only two with more five-fors in Asia than Ashwin and Kumble.

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#3. Second most five-fors at Chepauk

Ravichandran Ashwin now has four five-wicket hauls in as many matches at his home ground - the MA Chidambaran Stadium (Chepauk).

This is the second most by any bowler at the venue. Kumble finished his Test career with five five-wicket hauls in Chennai in eight Tests.

Ravichandran Ashwin’s previous three five-wicket hauls in Chennai were as follows - 7/103 & 5/95 vs Australia, 2013 and 6 for 61 versus England, 2021.

Overall, the off-spinner has 27 wickets so far in Tests in Chennai. He will get a chance to add to the tally when England bat a second time.

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#4. Ravichandran Ashwin goes past Anderson among players with most Test five-fors at home

Ravichandran Ashwin now has 23 five-wicket hauls at home in 45 Tests. With his latest five-for, he went past Anderson, who has 22 five-fors from 89 home Tests.

Muralitharan holds the record for the most five-fors at home - (45 in 73 Tests). He is followed by Herath (26 from 49 Tests) and Kumble (25 in 63 Tests).

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#5. Ravichandran Ashwin goes past Harbhajan Singh at home

By dismissing Stokes, Ravichandran Ashwin went past Harbhajan Singh (265) on the list of Indian bowlers with the most wickets in home Tests.

Playing in his 45th Test at home, the off-spinner currently has 268 wickets to his name at an average of 22.54.

In 55 Tests at home, Harbhajan picked up 265 wickets while averaging 28.76. Not surprisingly, Kumble is the leading wicket-taker for India in home conditions.

He played 63 Tests and finished with exactly 350 wickets, getting his scalps at an average of 24.88.

Ravichandran Ashwin is now at number five on the overall list of spinners with the most wickets in home conditions.

Muralitharan (493) is the leading wicket-taker among spinners at home. He is followed by Kumble (350), Warne (319) and Herath (278).