It took him a while, but R Ashwin is underway in the India vs Australia Border Gavaskar Trophy. The ace off-spinner had to wait for 10 overs before picking up his first wicket on Day 1 of the Nagpur Test. Ashwin, bowling round the wicket, outfoxed Alex Carey, beating his reverse sweep to bowl him around his legs. Carey, who fired away to a quick 36 off 33 balls, constantly played the reverse sweep to his advantage. But having struck seven fours and helping Australia recover, albeit slightly, Carey failed to connect and had to make the long way back
With this, Ashwin added another feather in his cap. India’s second-highest wicket-keeper in Tests, Ashwin dismissed Carey to pick up the 450th wicket of his career in the format, and in the process, created another impressive record. Ashwin reached the landmark in his 89th Test, becoming the fastest Indian bowler to get there. Before Ashwin, this record was held by Anil Kumble, who had taken four matches. The former India captain’s 450th Test scalp came against Pakistan in 2005 at the Eden Gardens. Ashwin is now the second-fastest to the feat, next only to the great Muttiah Muralitharan, who took just 80 Tests for 450 wickets.
Ashwin’s strike came as a much-needed breakthrough for India, who had leaked a few runs to Carey and Pater Handscomb. The two batters had added 53 runs for the seventh Australian wicket before Ashwin broke through. One wicket brought another as Ashwin then lapped up the wicket of Pat Cummins three overs later, with Virat Kohli completing an easy catch at first slip. Ashwin accounted for two of the six Australian wickets to fall for in the second session, while Jadeja grabbed the remaining four.
From 76/4, Australia headed into tea at 174/8 and were bowled out soon into the final session of the day. Ravindra Jadeja finished with a five-wicket-haul – his 11th in Tests – while Ashwin wrapped up the innings with a third wicket to dismiss Scott Boland. Ashwin is also closing in on 100 wickets against Australia in Tests alone. Before the start of the Nagpur Test, his tally against the Aussies stood at 89, and with three more, he is eight wickets away from the achievement. In all likelihood, he will get there by the time this four-match Test series ends.