Ravichandran Ashwin joins elite 500-wicket club in Test cricket

India's cricketing maestro Ravichandran Ashwin etched his name into the annals of cricket history as he secured his 500th Test wicket during the third Test match against England in Rajkot on Friday. With this remarkable feat, Ashwin became only the second Indian bowler, after the legendary Anil Kumble, to achieve this milestone.

The moment of glory arrived for Ashwin when he dismissed England's Zak Crawley for 15 runs, cementing his position among the elite league of cricketers who have accomplished the remarkable feat of 500 Test wickets.

The illustrious list includes luminaries such as Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan, Australia's Shane Warne, and England's James Anderson. Notably, Ashwin's achievement makes him the ninth player overall to enter this exclusive club.

What sets Ashwin's accomplishment apart is not just the number, but also the swiftness with which he attained it. He becomes only the second bowler in cricketing history, after Muralitharan, to reach the 500-wicket mark in less than 100 Test matches.

Ashwin's journey to this milestone has been nothing short of extraordinary, marked by a series of record-breaking performances. He has consistently set new benchmarks, being the fastest Indian to reach multiple wicket milestones in Test cricket, including 50, 100, 150, 200, 350, 400, and 450 wickets.

Moreover, Ashwin's relentless pursuit of excellence saw him break the world record by reaching 250 wickets in a mere 45 matches, followed by 300 wickets in just 54 matches. His remarkable consistency further saw him achieve the 350-wicket mark in 66 Tests, and he notched his 400th wicket in his 77th Test match. By the time he played his 89th Test, Ashwin had already amassed an impressive tally of 450 wickets.