How many times has Ravichandran Ashwin ended as the leading wicket-taker in a Test series?
Team India’s seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin made an excellent return to the Test team after being surprisingly left out of the playing XI that took on Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final at The Oval.
Ashwin, who has an excellent Test record against West Indies - 75 wickets from 13 Tests at an average of 20.48 - bamboozled the opposition yet again.
The Tamil Nadu cricketer claimed 12 wickets in the first Test of the series played at Windsor Park in Roseau, Dominica. Ashwin registered figures of 5/60 in the first innings as the Windies were bundled out for 150. He did even better in the second innings, grabbing 7/71 as India registered a thumping victory by an innings and 141 runs.
The second India-West Indies Test at Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad was marred by rain. Ashwin managed only one wicket in the first innings even as the Windies were bowled for 255. He got both the wickets to fall in the second innings, but could not add to his tally as rain prevented any play on Day 5.
Courtesy of his impressive bowling performances, Ashwin finished as the leading wicket-taker in the series, with 15 scalps from two matches at an average of 15.
Ashwin as leading wicket-taker: A frequent phenomenon
Including the series against West Indies, the experienced off-spinner has finished as the leading wicket-taker in a Test series (two or more Tests) a whopping 16 times.
In fact, he was the leading wicket-taker in his debut Test series itself in 2011-12, which incidentally was also against West Indies. In the three-match series played in India, he claimed 22 wickets at an average of 22.90, with two five-wicket hauls.
During New Zealand’s tour of India in 2012, Ashwin was again the leading wicket-taker. He claimed an impressive bag of 18 scalps in two Tests, averaging 13.11, with as many as three five-fers.
The off-spinner was completely dominant over Australia during the 2013 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In four Tests, the 36-year-old snared 29 wickets, averaging 20.10 with as many as four five-wicket hauls.
wickets) in the Test series 
Leading run-getter (2⃣6⃣6⃣ runs) in the Test series 🔝
Leading wicket-taker (1⃣5⃣ wickets) in the Test series 🔝
Say hello to Yashasvi Jaiswal & R Ashwin👋
#TeamIndia | #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/vCqYnbRk19
Next, Ashwin was again the top wicket-taker during the West Indies’ tour of India in 2013-14. In the two-match Test series, he claimed 12 scalps at an average of under 20. When Team India visited Sri Lanka in 2015, the experienced offie shone again. In three matches, he claimed an impressive haul of 21 wickets. Ashwin had an average of 18.09 in the series with two five-fers.
South Africa also struggled against the seasoned bowler when they visited India in 2015-16. In the four-match Test series, Ashwin helped himself to 31 wickets at an exceptional average of 11.12, with as many as four five-wicket hauls. When India visited West Indies in 2016, Ashwin shone again. He was the leading wicket-taker in the four-Test series, with 17 scalps at an average of 23.17 and two five-wicket hauls.
New Zealand also suffered at the hands of Ashwin during their visit to India in 2016-17. In three Tests, the Indian spinner claimed 27 scalps while averaging 17.77. The off-spinner registered three five-wicket hauls against the Kiwis.
Ashwin continued his home domination, claiming 28 scalps during the five-Test series against England, averaging 30.25 with three five-fers. Sri Lanka are known to have good players of spin, but Ashwin still ended as the leading wicket-taker during the 2017 tour. In three matches, he claimed 17 wickets, averaging under 26.
When Sri Lanka came to India in 2017-18, the off-spinner was the top wicket-taker once more. He picked up 12 scalps in three Tests at an average of just over 29. Ashwin also ended as the highest wicket-taker when South Africa toured India in 2019-20. In three Tests, he picked up 15 wickets, averaging 25.26.
Ashwin was absolutely dominant over England during the 2020-21 series at home. He was the Player of the Series for claiming 32 scalps in four Tests at an average of 14.71 with as many as three five-wicket hauls.
Most wickets by Indian bowlers in International cricket:
1) Anil Kumble - 956
2) Ravichandran Ashwin - 712*
3) Harbhajan Singh - 711 pic.twitter.com/cHD0qTTBT8
In the 2021-22 series against Sri Lanka at home, the 36-year-old claimed 12 wickets in two Tests at an average of 15.08. Ashwin was also the leading wicket-taker during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy played at home earlier this year.
In the four-match Test series, he finished with 25 scalps, which came at an average of 17.28 and featured two five-wicket hauls.