NEW DELHI: India’s premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin etched his name in the record books on Thursday, becoming the leading wicket-taker in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC). During the second Test against New Zealand at Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium, Ashwin took two crucial wickets in the morning session, surpassing Australia’s Nathan Lyon to claim the top spot.
Ashwin dismissed New Zealand captain Tom Latham for 15 and Will Young for 18, helping India restrict New Zealand to 92/2 at lunch on Day 1. These dismissals brought Ashwin’s tally to 188 wickets in 39 WTC matches, placing him ahead of Lyon, who has 187 wickets from 43 matches.
Scorecard: India vs New Zealand, 2nd Test
With this milestone, Ashwin continues to be a key figure in India’s bowling lineup in the WTC. The next Indian bowler on the list is Jasprit Bumrah, who sits in seventh place with 124 wickets in 30 matches.
The top five bowlers in the WTC rankings are predominantly Australians. Australia’s Test captain Pat Cummins is in third place with 175 wickets in 42 matches, followed by Mitchell Starc, who has 147 wickets in 38 games.
England’s retired pacer Stuart Broad rounds out the top five with 134 wickets from 33 Tests.
Ashwin’s remarkable achievement underscores his importance in India’s bowling attack, as the team looks to bounce back in the ongoing Test series against New Zealand and secure a spot in the WTC final.
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