Ravichandran Ashwin went past legends like Richard Hadlee, Imran Khan and Ian Botham by becoming the fastest cricketer to the Test double of 2000 runs and 250 wickets. Ashwin reached the landmark when he notched up his 11th Test fifty on Day 2 of the second Test between Indian and Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC), Colombo.
He went on to bring up his 11th Test fifty in style with a six, but departed almost immediately after that. This was Ashwin’s 10th score of fifty-plus in Tests while batting at a position of 6 or lower since 2015.
Only the English duo of Ben Stokes (13 times) and Jonny Bairstow (11) have managed more that the Indian off spin wizard, which yet again manifests the solidity that Ashwin adds to India’s lower order.
Hadlee had achieved the landmark in 54 Test matches, back in March 1985, while Imran and Botham had done so in 55 Tests.
