Ashwin was on 499 scalps at the end of the second Test in Visakhapatnam and completed his 500th scalp with the wicket of Zak Crawley.
Ashwin achieved the 500 wickets feat in 98 Test matches, making him the second-quickest in Test history to the milestone after Sri Lanka’s spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan who achieved the feat in 87 Tests. The other seven bowlers took more than 100 Test matches to get to the milestone.
Ashwin is the ninth bowler in Test history to breach the 500-wicket barrier, and the only one from India since the legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble, who took 619 wickets in 132 Tests.
Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (708), James Anderson (695), Anil Kumble (619), Stuart Broad (604), Glenn McGrath (563), Courtney Walsh (519) and Nathan Lyon (517) are ahead of him in the list of highest wicket-takers in Test history.
After India won the Test match, Ashwin’s wife Prithi Narayanan took to social media and posted a heartfelt note for her husband.
“500. We chased the 500 to Hyderabad, it didn’t happen. To Vizag, it didn’t happen. So I just bought a ton of sweets and gave it to everyone at home at 499. 500 came and went quietly. Till it didn’t. A lot happened between 500 and 501. Longest 48 hours of our lives,” Prithi wrote.
“But this is about the 500. And the 499 before that. What a phenomenal achievement. What a phenomenal guy. I am insanely proud of you @rashwin99 We love you!,” she wrote.
Ashwin had left for Chennai hours after reaching the coveted milestone of 500 Test wickets on the second day of the match due to a family medical emergency. He was back in action during the post-tea session on the fourth day.
Ashwin did not incur any ‘Penalty time’ for his absence on the third day as per the ICC’s Playing Conditions.