Ravichandran Ashwin set to break multiple records in India-Bangladesh Test series

Ashwin, with 516 Test wickets, needs four more to pass Courtney Walsh (519) and 15 to overtake Nathan Lyon (530) in the series

PHOTO: AFP

Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will spearhead India’s spin attack in the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting Thursday, September 19.

The first Test will be held at Ashwin’s home ground, MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, with the second Test scheduled at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur from September 27.

World No. 1 Test bowler Ravichandran Ashwin, who concluded as the leading wicket-taker in India's recent Test series against England, is set to play a pivotal role in India's performance. As the 37-year-old approaches his 38th birthday on September 17, he stands on the cusp of breaking multiple bowling records during the upcoming series.

Key Records in Play:

Most Wickets in World Test Championship (WTC): With 174 wickets from 35 WTC matches, Ashwin needs 14 more to surpass Nathan Lyon’s record of 187 wickets and claim the top spot in WTC history.
Most Wickets in WTC 2023-25: Ashwin, currently leading with 42 wickets, requires 10 more to overtake Josh Hazlewood’s tally of 51 wickets and become the leading wicket-taker in the ongoing WTC cycle.
Most Five-Wicket Hauls in WTC: Ashwin has 10 five-wicket hauls in 34 WTC matches. A single five-wicket haul in the series will make him the sole leader in this category, surpassing Lyon, who also has 10.
Most Wickets in India-Bangladesh Tests: Having taken 23 wickets in six Tests against Bangladesh, Ashwin needs nine more to break Zaheer Khan’s record of 31 wickets and become the top bowler in India-Bangladesh Test encounters.
Most Wickets in India: Ashwin has 455 wickets in 126 international matches played in India. If he captures 22 wickets in the Bangladesh series, he will surpass Anil Kumble’s record of 476 international wickets on Indian soil.

Additionally, Ashwin, with 516 Test wickets, is poised to move past West Indies legend Courtney Walsh (519) and Australia’s Lyon (530) on the all-time wicket-takers list if he dismisses four and 15 batters, respectively, in the series. Furthermore, two five-wicket hauls will enable him to surpass Shane Warne’s record of 37 fifers in Tests, positioning him second behind Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (67) in this elite category.