IND vs WI: Ravichandran Ashwin only three wickets away from levelling Nathan Lyon in WTC history

Ravichandran Ashwin likes to play against the West Indies especially in Tests. He has an impeccable record against them both with bat and ball. The off-spinner has so far picked up a staggering 75 wickets in 13 Test matches against the Caribbean with six five-wicket hauls to his name. In the ongoing Test series against them, the man has picked up 15 wickets already including 12 in the first Test.

Interestingly, he could account for only one scalp in the first innings of the second and final Test but has already picked up a couple in the second innings. With India needing eight wickets on the final day Ashwin will be key and it remains to be seen if he can register yet another five-wicket haul against the home team. If he manages to do so, the India spinner will come on level terms with Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon in terms of picking most five-wicket hauls in World Test Championship (WTC) history.

Lyon has so far picked nine fifers ever since WTC started in 2019 while Ravichandran Ashwin has accounted for eight five-wicket hauls so far. Overall, while Lyon has picked up 153 wickets in WTC history, Ashwin has 147 wickets to show for his stunning efforts. If he picked three more wickets, Ashwin will also become only the second bowler to complete 150 wickets in WTC.

Lyon hasn't been able to add more wickets to his tally as he has been ruled out of the ongoing Ashes series with an injury. He sustained the injury in the second Ashes at Lord's and is likely to be out for a considerable period of time. Meanwhile, Ashwin will not be playing Tests until December when India is due to tour South Africa after this Test series. So, the off-spinner will be looking to be amongst wickets in the second innings.