Who were Ravichandran Ashwin's 1st, 100th, 200th, 300th and 400th wickets?
Ravichandran Ashwin created history by becoming only the second Indian bowler to pick up 500 Test wickets. He achieved this feat against England on February 16, 2024, in Rajkot.
Ashwin is the second fastest (98 Tests) to reach the milestone of 500 Test wickets. His 500th Test victim was English opener Zak Crawley, who was caught by Rajat Patidar off the bowling of the wily off-spinner.
Ever since he made his Test debut for India in 2011, Ashwin has been an integral part of the Indian Test team and guided India to numerous wins both at home and overseas.
On that note, here is a look at Ashiwn's 1st, 100th, 200th, 300th, and 400th Test victims:
1st Test wicket - Darren Bravo
The West Indian middle-order batsman, Darren Bravo, was Ashwin's first ever Test wicket. In his very first Test, Ashwin got into action early at the Ferzo Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi and clean-bowled Bravo for just 12 runs. He also picked up wickets of Marlon Samuels and Ravi Rampaul in the said innings.
Ashwin was at his very best in the second innings of the Test and picked up six wickets in the second innings. Ashwin was named Man of the Match on his debut for his heroics with the ball.
100th Test wicket - Darren Sammy
Ashwin created history by becoming the fastest Indian bowler to pick up 100 Test wickets. He achieved this feat at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in November 2013, which incidentally was Sachin Tendulkar's last Test.
He picked up his 100th wicket in the first innings of the Test when the Windies skipper Darren Sammy tried to slog, got a leading edge, and Rohit Sharma took a simple catch.
Ashwin picked up seven wickets in the game, and India won the match by a convincing margin of an innings and 126 runs.
200th Test wicket - Kane Williamson
The Indian off-spinner picked up his 200th Test wicket in Kanpur in only his 37th Test. India won the Test by 197 runs.
The Kiwi skipper was his 200th victim in the fourth innings of the Test. Kane Williamson, attempting to flick a delivery was trapped leg before wicket for 25 and was Ashwin's third wicket in the said innings.
300th Test wicket - Lahiru Gamage
Ashwin picked up his 300th Test wicket in just his 54th Test and became the fastest to reach the said landmark. In a Test against Sri Lanka in Nagpur, Sri Lanka were bundled out for 205 in the first innings. India were dominant in their first innings and score 610.
Sri Lanka were dismissed for just 166 in their second innings and the last ball of the Test was a memorable one. Ashwin picked up his 300th Test wicket by dismissing Lahiru Gamage. Gamage had no answer to Ashwin's carrom ball and was out bowled. India won the Test by a margin of an innings and 239 runs.
400th Test wicket - Jofra Archer
The last time England toured India in 2021, Ashwin picked up his 400th Test wicket. On a tricky batting surface in Ahmedabad, England were bowled out for 112 in the first innings.
India were bundled out for 145 in their first innings. During the third innings of the Test, England had no answers to the Indian spinners and were bowled out for 81.
During the course of the said innings, Ashwin trapped Jofra Archer in front of the wickets and dismissed him leg before wicket and reached the milestone of 400 Test wickets. Subsquently, India won the Test by 10 wickets.