The craft of spin bowling has, for generations, been one of cricket’s most fascinating arts, and few in the modern era embody this craft with as much skill and consistency as Ravichandran Ashwin. Known for his ability to bamboozle batsmen with a variety of spins and guiles, Ashwin once again demonstrated why he is considered one of the best in the business during the third day of the first Test match against England in the bustling city of Hyderabad.
As the sun beamed down on the pitch, the conditions seemed ripe for the spinners to exploit, but the English batters were putting up a stubborn fight. Yet, when Ashwin is in the attack, a breakthrough often seems imminent, and it was the England captain Ben Stokes who found himself on the receiving end of a masterful delivery that led to his downfall.
In the gripping 37th over of England’s second innings, Ashwin conjured a moment of pure cricketing magic. He unleashed a deceptively flighted full-length delivery, aiming it at the middle to entice Stokes forward. As the left-handed batsman leaned to block, the ball, as if bewitched, gripped the pitch and spun sharply away, eluding the bat and shattering the off-stump. It was a delivery that epitomized the spinner’s craft and sent reverberations through the stadium as the bails tumbled.
This wasn’t just another wicket in Ashwin’s illustrious career. With Stokes’ dismissal, the wily off-spinner scripted history, creating an all-time Indian record. This was the 12th time he had claimed the wicket of Stokes in Test cricket, the most times an Indian bowler has dismissed a single batsman, surpassing the tallies of legends like Ishant Sharma and Kapil Dev. Ishant had the distinction of dismissing former England skipper Alastair Cook 11 times, whereas Kapil Dev had sent back Graham Gooch the same number of times.
Kapil Dev’s name peppers the record books with multiple entries, as he has also dismissed Allan Border and David Gower 10 times each, and Malcolm Marshall as well. Also worth highlighting is Harbhajan Singh’s domination over Australian batting powerhouse Ricky Ponting, whom he removed 10 times in the longest format of the game.
However, it is Ashwin, with his quiet demeanor and fierce intelligence, who now holds this unique distinction for India, a testament to his enduring quality and mastery over his craft. Before Stokes, Ashwin had shared this record when he dismissed the aggressive Australian opener David Warner 11 times.
The records and numbers narrate a tale of a bowler who has combined skill, study, and an insatiable desire to improve and adapt. His hunt for 500 Test wickets appears to be more a question of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’, as he continues to spin webs around batsmen worldwide. As the list of his bowling records grows, the hierarchical ladder of cricketing greats sees him climbing steadily, perhaps unwaveringly, toward the pinnacle reserved for legends.
Let the record stand, as it does now:
– Ravi Ashwin vs Ben Stokes – 12 times,
– Ravi Ashwin v David Warner – 11 times,
– Ishant Sharma v Alastair Cook – 11 times,
– Kapil Dev v Graham Gooch – 11 times,
– Harbhajan Singh v Ricky Ponting – 10 times,
– Kapil Dev v Allan Border – 10 times,
– Kapil Dev v David Gower – 10 times,
– Kapil Dev v Malcolm Marshall – 10 times.
As the series continues, eyes will remain fixed on Ashwin, anticipating the next piece of enchantment he will produce with the ball, the next record he may break, or the next batsman he might leave spellbound in his wake. The chronicle of Ravichandran Ashwin, the spin-wizard, has many chapters yet to be written.
