Ravichandran Ashwin Equals Zaheer Khan's Record Of Most Wickets In India-Bangladesh Tests

Star Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who sits at No. 1 position in the ICC Test bowler’s ranking, equaled former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan’s elite record on Monday (September 30) to become joint leading wicket-taker in Test matches played between India and Bangladesh. Ashwin achieved the feat by taking his second wicket of Bangladesh’s first inning.

He removed Shakib Al Hasan for nine runs on the last ball of the 56th over to take his tally of wickets to 31 in eight Tests against Bangladesh. Zaheer, who played in seven Tests for India against Bangladesh, also dismissed 31 batters. Ishant Sharma, who last played for India in 2021, is in third place with 25 wickets in seven Tests.

For Bangladesh, Shakib Al Hasan has picked up most wickets in Tests against India. In 10 matches, he has 21 wickets.

Most wickets in India-Bangladesh Tests

• Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 31*
• Zaheer Khan (India) – 31
• Ishant Sharma (India) – 25
• Umesh Yadav (India) – 22
• Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) – 21

By taking his second wicket of the match, Ashwin has extended his tally of wickets to 50 in 10 matches of the WTC 2023-25 cycle. He is the second bowler after Josh Hazlewood to dismiss 50 or more batters in the ongoing WTC cycle. Hazlewood, who only played in four WTC 2021-23 matches, has 51 wickets to his name in 11 matches played so far in the ongoing cycle.

Most wickets in WTC 2023-25

• Josh Hazlewood (Australia) – 51
• Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 50
• Pat Cummins (Australia) – 48
• Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 48
• Chris Woakes (England) – 43
• Nathan Lyon (Australia) – 43

50 wickets in 10 WTC 2023-25 matches has also helped Ashwin create history and become the first bowler in the world to dismiss at least 50 batters in each of the three editions of the World Test Championship played so far. He got rid of 71 batters in 14 matches of the 2019-21 WTC cycle and accounted for the dismissal of 61 batters in 13 2021-23 matches.

Ashwin, who turned 38 on September 17, was on fire for India in the series opener as well, which was played at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai from September 19 to 22. He top-scored for the Rohit Sharma-led side in the first innings by hammering 113 runs from 133 balls and then picked up six wickets for 88 runs in the second innings.

For his super all-round show in the first Test of the ongoing two-match series, Ashwin won the Player of the Match award.