Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Monday added another feather to his cap as he picked up his 28th career five-wicket haul during the second innings of India's Test series opener against England at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Ashwin dismissed Rory Burns in the first ball of the innings becoming the first spinner since 1907 to pick a wicket in the opening delivery of an innings. His dominance with the new ball continued as he further dismissed Dom Sibley for 16 before adding Ben Stokes to his list. Ashwin then got rid of Dom Bess before dismissing Jofra Archer and James Anderson in succession to wrap up England's stay at the crease.
With the five-wicket haul, which he completed following the dismissal of Archer, he surpassed England great Ian Botham to take the eighth spot in the all-time list. He is the fifth spinner overall and only second from India after Anil Kumble (35).
Anderson's dismissal was his sixth in the innings taking Ashwin's taking of 6-plus wicket hauls to 15 which is the sixth-highest in Test history and second amongst Indians after Kumble (19). He now has a career dismissal tally of 386 which is the second-highest for a bowler after 75 Tests, after Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralidharan who had taken 420 wickets.
England set India a target of 420 on a pitch where the highest-successful chase has been 387, by India against England in 2008. Further adding to India's woe, the hosts under Virat Kohli have lost nine Tests where they have chased 150-plus targets in the fourth innings while two ended in a draw.
