Ashwin On Verge Of Surpassing Kumble To Achieve Sensational Test Record

Ravichandran Ashwin is on the verge of surpassing legendary Indian cricket team spinner Anil Kumble to claim a sensational record in the third Test match against England in Rajkot starting Thursday. The veteran cricketer is just five wickets away from becoming the Indian bowler with the highest Test wickets at home. Kumble currently holds the record with 350 wickets from 63 matches while Ashwin has taken 346 wickets from 57 matches. Overall, Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record with 493 wickets from 73 matches with the help of 45 five-wicket hauls and 15 ten-wicket hauls.

Meanwhile, Ashwin is just one wicket away from claiming 500 wickets in Test cricket and 3 wickets away from becoming the first Indian ever to take 100 wickets in Tests against England.

An injury-hit India could well go into the third Test against England with two debutants in domestic run-machine Sarfaraz Khan and hard-hitting keeper-batter Dhruv Chand Jurel on a track that will be quite similar to the first two Test matches.

However last match’s centurion Shubman Gill however did not attend the optional training on Tuesday.

It must be noted that Gill had hurt his right index finger while fielding in the second Test in Visakhapatnam. He didn’t field during the England second innings and also said that the injury isn’t too serious.

With Shreyas Iyer being dropped and KL Rahul yet to recover, doors have opened for Sarfaraz, who has been one of the most prolific performers in Ranji Trophy.

In case of Jurel, it is his superior batting quality that could get him the nod ahead of Kona Bharat, who has failed to score a single half-century in seven successive Tests.

With Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz and Jurel batting between No 4 to 7, three of the four middle order players (other being Ravindra Jadeja) will go into the Test match with a collective experience of solitary game. Patidar made his debut in Visakhapatnam.

(With PTI inputs)