Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has equalled bowling great Muttiah Muralitharan's feat during the fifth day of the ongoing Test against South Africa.
Ace Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has equalled legendary Sri Lankan bowler Muttiah Muralitharan's record in Test cricket.
Ashwin, who picked up seven wickets in the first innings of the ongoing Test against South Africa at the ACA-VDCA Stadium, took his eighth wicket of the match in the first session of Day 5 when he dismissed Theunis de Bruyn on 10, thus equaling Muralitharan's world record of being the fastest to 350 Test wickets.
The 33-year-old Indian off-spinner has picked 350 wickets, including 26 five-wicket hauls, in 66 Test matches. Muralitharan, who holds the record for being the leading wicket-taker in the longest format of the game with 800 scalps to his name, had also reached the 350-wicket milestone in his 66th Test match against Bangladesh in 2001.
Former Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble had taken 77 Tests to take 350 wickets.
Ashwin made his Test debut in 2011 and since then has been an integral part of the Indian set-up, especially in red-ball cricket.
While he was not included in the playing XI in the overseas Test matches against West Indies, he made a comeback to the side for the home leg of India's campaign in the World Test Championship.
India need 7 wickets to seal victory in the first of the three-match series against South Africa, and take their overall points tally in the Test Championship to 180. Virat Kohli's men are yet to drop points in the tournament, having won both of their games against the Windies last month.
