On Sunday, September 22, in defence of the 514-run total during the fourth day of the first Test match, Ravichandran Ashwin, the Indian off spinner, took six wickets in the fourth innings of the contest, to help India defeat Bangladesh by 280 runs. After the big win, in front of his home fans at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, when Ravichandran Ashwin’s wife Prithi Narayanan asked him about what he would gift to the kids on International Daughter’s Day, to which Indian cricketer replied the ball he picked up the five-wicket haul with.
After going wicketless in the first innings against Bangladesh, Ravichandran Ashwin made up for it in an emphatic manner in the second innings, registering figures of 6/88 in 21 overs without any maiden overs. He was ably supported by his spin bowling partner Ravindra Jadeja from the other end, who took three wickets, while Jasprit Bumrah had started the slide for Bangladesh with the key wicket of Zakir Hasan, to help bundle out Bangladesh for 234 runs.
Every time I play in Chennai, it’s an amazing feeling: Ravichandran Ashwin
Following his player of the match award for scoring a hundred in the first innings and picking up six wickets in the fourth innings of the India versus Bangladesh first Test match, Ravichandran Ashwin was happy to be playing in front of his home fans at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. He was quoted as saying, as per ESPNcricinfo, “Every time I play in Chennai, it’s an amazing feeling. I’ve watched a lot of Tests, int’l cricket in those stands, to do it in front of those renovated stands is great.”
Ravichandran Ashwin trails Muttiah Muralitharan in all-time list for most five-wicket hauls
In the all-time list for the most five-wicket hauls in Test cricket, Ravichandran Ashwin, tied with Shane Warne, now only sits behind the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan, who is miles ahead with 67 five-wicket hauls. Some of the other great bowlers in Test cricket, who feature in the top 10 list for the most five-hauls, include names like Anil Kumble, Rangana Herath, Glenn McGrath, James Anderson, and more.
Here is the list of top 10 bowlers with five-wicket hauls in Test cricket:
Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) – 67 (230 innings)
Ravichandran Ashwin (IND) – 37 (191 innings)
Shane Warne (AUS) – 37 (273 innings)
Richard Hadlee (NZ) – 36 (150 innings)
Anil Kumble (IND) – 35 (236 innings)
Rangana Herath (SL) – 34 (170 innings)
James Anderson (ENG) – 32 (350 innings)
Glenn McGrath (AUS) – 29 (243 innings)
Ian Botham (ENG) – 27 (168 innings)
Dale Steyn (SA) – 25 (171 innings)