R Ashwin played his 100th Test for India when the Dharamsala Test between India and England began at the HPCA stadium. With 507 Test wickets to his name, Ashwin is India's second most successful bowler in Tests. The only Indian bowler ahead of Ashwin is Anil Kumble who finished his career with a staggering 619 wickets. Ashwin has also become the oldest cricketer to have played the 100th Test.
The off-spinner had spent a few seasons at Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL where he received coaching from Ricky Ponting, the Australia great. Ponting heaped praise on the off-spinner on achieving the landmark of 100 Tests when he spoke to International Cricket Council (ICC).
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Ponting called Ashwin a master of spin and an incredible cricketer in an interview to ICC. The former Aussie captain said that Ashwin has got many philosophies and theories which he really likes.
“I had a chance to coach him for a couple of years at Delhi, and loved working with him. He's got a lot of theories and philosophies on the game, which I really like. He's always done things a little bit differently and done things his own way. But he just continued to evolve as a bowler,” said Ponting.
Ponting mentioned that Ashwin wants to do something different every time and that makes him stand out. He is always looking to get better.
“That's the thing that I loved about him when I was coaching him, he'd stand at the end of his mark and he'd be working on something different, a little tweak to his action or a change of grip or a different delivery. . He's never been one that was going to die wondering about trying to find ways to get better,” he added.
Ashwin has picked up 507 Test wickets for India since making his debut in Delhi vs West Indies on November 6, 2011. Ashwin has 35 five-Test wicket hauls and 8 ten-wicket hauls as well. Not to forget that Ashwin has also hit 5 Test centuries for India. If he picks one more five-wicket haul, he will cross the great Anil Kumble as India's most five-for taker in the format.
Ashwin reached the landmark of 500 Test wickets also in the ongoing series against England. His next target will be the 600 Test mark. Only one Indian has taken more than 600 Test wickets for India, and he is Kumble.