Indian spin master Ravichandran Ashwin has earned another accolade to his name. Ashwin surpassed Sri Lankan great, spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan to dismiss the most number of left-handed batsman during the 2nd Test outing of India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Ashwin broke Muralitharan record of picking up 191 wickets of left-handers, the most by any player. He acquired his 192nd wicket on Day 4 of the second Test by dismissing Josh Hazelwood and helping India in bundling out the Aussies for 200 under in the second innings.
Ashwin played a vital role in helping India spring back from the failure in the first Test. Playing impeccably, he gave a tough time to the host batsmen and picked up a total of 10 wickets in the ongoing Test series.
“I probably haven’t played Ashwin as well as I would’ve liked; I probably would’ve liked to have put him under a bit more pressure. I’ve sort of let him dictate terms and that’s something I’ve probably never let any spinner do in my career,” Australian batsman Steve Smith said to SEN radio, commending Ashwin.
Ajinkya Rahane’s impeccable leadership skills coupled with the fiery performance of the bowlers helped India in beating Australia in the second Test by 8-wickets.
Having equal number of wins in the four match Test series in Australia, the two teams will next compete for winning the third Test commencing on January 7.
