Chennai, (Samajweekly) Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Sunday became the first player in the 143-year history of Test cricket to take 200 wickets against left-handed batsmen.
He achieved the feat during the second day of India’s second Test against England here at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, his home ground.
Fast bowler Stuart Broad was the 200th left-hander to be dismissed by Ashwin.
Ashwin has picked 391 wickets in his career so far and 51.2 per cent of his scalps have come against left-handers. His bowling average against left-handers is 19.55 and 31.24 against right-handed batsmen.
On Sunday, Ashwin took a five-wicket haul, his second consecutive fifer, as India dismissed England for 134 after scoring 329.
The second most successful bowler in Test cricket against left-handed batsmen is Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan. He has dismissed left-handers 191 times out of his world-record 800 Test wickets.
Veteran England fast bowler James Anderson, who has been rested for the ingoing Test, is third with 190 wickets against left-handed batsmen out of 611.
Australian fast bowling great Glenn McGrath dismissed left-handers 172 times out of his 563 wickets. His former teammate and Australian spin great Shane Warne also dismissed left-handers 172 times out of his 708 wickets.
Ashwin on Sunday also surpassed Harbhajan Singh as the second-highest wicket taker in home Tests for India. Harbhajan had taken 265 wickets while Ashwin’s five-wicket haul on the second day of the Test took his tally to 268.
