Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Ashwin 49 going on 50: All the Numbers

Last updated on: July 26, 2017 09:36 IST

As Ashwin plays his 50th Test, Rajneesh Gupta gives us the offie's awesome numbers.

Ravichandran Ashwin

IMAGE: Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates his 50th Test match. Photograph: BCCI/Twitter

Since making his Test debut against the West Indies in November 2011, Ravichandran Ashwin has grown in stature.

His ability to consistently fox batsmen has seen him become India's leading Test bowler with 275 scalps in 49 games.

As the off-spinner plays his landmark 50th Test in Galle Rajneesh Gupta gives us Ashwin's numbers.

His 275 Test wickets in 49 Tests means Ashwin has better figures than spin legends Anil Kumble and Bhagwat Chandrasekhar at this juncture in their Test careers.

In February Ashwin went past pace great Dennis Lillee to become the fastest to 250 wickets (45 Tests).

He is also the most successful Test bowler in Tests going into his 50th Test.

When his 10 best performances in in 50 Tests or less are compared with Kumble and Harbhajan Singh -- the two other modern-day spin wizards -- his impact on the game becomes apparent.

Those 10 best bowling figures (4 of which were 7 wicket hauls) have all resulted in wins, except for the one in Galle versus Sri Lanka in 2015.

The last table shows that only Harbhajan has more seven-fors and one eight wicket haul although he has lesser Test wickets than Ashwin after 49 Tests.

Most successful Indian bowlers after 49 Tests

 WicketsAverageStrike Rate5 Wickets in an Innings10 Wickets in a Test
Ravi Ashwin 275 25.23 52.51 25 7
Bhagwat Chandrasekhar 217 28.03 64.08 14 2
Anil Kumble 213 28.49 71.12 11 1
Harbhajan Singh 209 28.54 62.37 16 3
Kapil Dev 197 29.32 55.23 15 1
Bishan Singh Bedi 194 27.80 82.18 9 0
Erapalli Prasanna 189 30.38 75.94 10 2
Javagal Srinath 183 29.85 62.71 7 1
Vinoo Mankad 162 32.32 90.65 8 2
Zaheer Khan 157 33.39 60.31 5 0

Note: The great Vinoo Mankad played only 44 Tests

Most successful bowlers after 49 Tests

 WicketsAverageStrike Rate5Wickets in an Innings10 Wickets in a Test
Ravi Ashwin (Ind) 275 25.23 52.51 25 7
Dennis Lillee 259 22.96 50.02 18 5
Dale Steyn 255 22.82 39.35 16 4
Allan Donald 248 21.91 45.88 16 2
Waqar Younis 241 21.83 40.79 19 4
Muttiah Muralitharan 235 26.86 65.24 17 2
Malcolm Marshall 233 21.48 46.42 14 2
Glenn McGrath 232 22.60 51.52 15 1
Imran Khan 232 22.91 54.10 16 4
Alec Bedser 231 24.21 66.56 15 5

Ashwin's best performances in Test cricket

FiguresVersusSeasonVenueResult
7/59 New Zealand 2016-17 Indore Won
7/66 South Africa 2015-16 Nagpur Won
7/83 West Indies 2016 North Sound Won
7/103 Australia 2012-13 Chennai Won
6/31 New Zealand 2012 Hyderabad Won
6/41 Australia 2016-17 Bangalore Won
6/46 Sri Lanka 2015 Galle Lost
6/47 West Indies 2011-12 Delhi Won
6/54 New Zealand 2012 Hyderabad Won
6/55 England 2016-17 Mumbai WS Won

Kumble's best performances in Test cricket

FiguresVersusSeasonVenueResult
7/59 Sri Lanka 1993-94 Lucknow Won
6/53 South Africa 1992-93 Johannesburg Drawn
6/64 England 1992-93 Chennai Won
6/98 Australia 1997-98 Bangalore Lost
5/62 Australia 1997-98 Kolkata Won
5/67 Australia 1996-97 Delhi Won
5/70 Zimbabwe 1992-93 Delhi Won
5/81 New Zealand 1995-96 Bangalore Won
5/87 Sri Lanka 1993-94 Colombo SSC Won
5/104 West Indies 1996-97 Port-of-Spain Drawn

Harbhajan's best performances in Test cricket

FiguresVersusSeasonVenueResult
8/84 Australia 2000-01 Chennai Won
7/48 West Indies 2002-03 Mumbai WS Won
7/87 South Africa 2004-05 Kolkata Won
7/123 Australia 2000-01 Kolkata Won
7/133 Australia 2000-01 Chennai Won
6/62 Zimbabwe 2001-02 Delhi Won
6/73 Australia 2000-01 Kolkata Won
6/78 Australia 2004-05 Bangalore Lost
6/152 Pakistan 2004-05 Bangalore Lost
5/29 Australia 2004-05 Mumbai WS Won

 

Rajneesh Gupta