Premier India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has added another feather to his cap, finishing the 2019-21 World Test Championship cycle as the leading wicket-taker with 71 scalps under his belt.
The 34-year-old tweaker achieved the feat during the World Test Championship final against New Zealand, which was his 14th Test in this cycle of WTC. His 71st victim was New Zealand opener Devon Conway, who was flummoxed by an in-drifter crashing onto his pads.
Ashwin picked up two wickets each in the first (2/28) and second innings (2/17) in the summit clash. Despite Ashwin’s best efforts, India’s misfiring batting meant the Kane Williamson-led New Zealand won the first WTC by eight wickets on the Reserve Day.
Ashwin ended up with four five-wicket hauls in the WTC with 7/145 being his best in an innings. He also scored 324 runs with a century to boot.
With his four-wicket tally in the WTC final, Ashwin surpassed Australian pacer Pat Cummins who had 70 wickets to his name from 14 Tests and finished second on the list. English speedster Stuart Broad finished third with 69 scalps from 17 Tests. The fourth rung is shared by Zealand pacer Tim Southee and Australian spinner Nathan Lyon at 56 wickets each.
Ashwin has played his WTC matches in India (9 Tests), Australia (3), New Zealand (1) and England (1). It is, therefore, no surprise that he has pocketed a huge chunk of his wickets in India. He has snapped up 52 wickets at home and 19 overseas -- 12 in Australia, three in New Zealand and four in the recently-concluded WTC Final in England.
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