Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Saturday surpassed Harbhajan Singh to become the second-highest wicket-taker for India in international cricket.
Aswhin recorded one of his finest away performances, taking 5/60 in the first innings and 7/71 in the second innings to finish with a combined figure of 12/131, during the first Test of two-match series against West Indies in Dominica on Friday.
Ashwin now has 709 wickets in 271 international matches. These wickets have come at an average of 25.67 and his best bowling figures are 7/59. He has 27 four-wicket hauls, 34 five-wicket hauls, and 8 ten-wicket hauls in international cricket.
India's best bowler in international cricket is Anil Kumble, who has taken 953 in 401 matches at an average of 30.06 with best figures of 10/74. He has 39 four-wicket hauls, 37 five-wicket hauls and eight ten-wicket hauls.
Harbhajan has now slipped to third position, with 707 wickets in 365 matches at an average of 32.59 and best figures of 8/84. He has 19 four-wicket hauls, 28 fifers and 5 ten-wicket hauls in international cricket.
With this ten-wicket haul, Ashwin has equalled Kumble in terms of most ten-wicket hauls by an Indian bowler, with a total of eight. Harbhajan is next with a total of 5 ten-wicket hauls.
Ashwin's figures of 12/131 are third-best bowling figures by an Indian in an away Test. The best performance by an India overseas is by Bhagwath Chandrashekhar, who took a combined 12/104 in a Test against Australia at Melbourne in 1977. He is followed by Irfan Pathan, who dismantled Zimbabwe with his 12/126 at Harare in 2005.
The spinner's 12/131 is also the third-best bowling performance by a player in an India-West Indies Test. The best bowling performance by an Indian against the Windies till this day is by Narendra Hirwani, who took 16/136 at Chennai back in 1988. He is followed by Andy Roberts, who took 12/121 against India in Chennai back in 1975.
Ashwin has secured a five-wicket haul in both innings of a Test six times, the most by an India. Overall, this feat has been performed the most by Sri Lankan spin great Muttiah Muralidaran, who did it 11 times.
The spinner now has six five-wicket hauls against Windies, the most by an Indian. He also equalled Malcolm Marshall in taking the most five-wicket hauls in India-West Indies Tests.
