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'He can get close or even break Anil Kumble's record': Former CSK teammate makes huge prediction about Ashwin
Ashwin, 35, went past the legendary Kapil's 434 Test scalps to become India's second most successful bowler in the longest format.
While Ravindra Jadeja headlined Virat Kohli's 100th game with his all-round brilliance, Ashwin achieved a massive feat as India registered a crushing win over Sri Lanka in the first Test of the two-match series on Sunday. Ashwin, 35, went past the legendary Kapil's 434 Test scalps to become India's second most successful bowler in the longest format. The seasoned tweaker ticked off the landmark in his 85th Test match.
Ashwin got to the feat when he removed Charith Asalanka during Sri Lanka's second innings. India eventually went on to win the Test by a comprehensive margin of an innings and 222 runs. Ashwin took six wickets in the match, giving away 96 runs, and drew praise from fans and pundits, who hailed him as a valuable asset to Indian cricket.
Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel also lauded Ashwin's bowling skills and recalled playing with him for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. Parthiv remembered a curious Ashwin in his formative years and said that he was always open to learning new things.
Parthiv also went on to make a huge prediction, saying Ashwin can go past Anil Kumble to emerge as India's leading wicket-taker in Test cricket. The legendary Kumble tops the chart with 619 scalps which he claimed in 132 matches. Ashwin is second on the list with 436 plucks, followed by Kapil with 434.
"Ashwin joined the elite list that has names like Anil Kumble, Kapil Dev and Harbhajan Singh. These are legends of Indian cricket and a lot of people got inspired after watching them play. We talk about batters like Tendulkar and Gavaskar but many people copied the action of Kapil, Harbhajan and Kumble. Many took up the sport because of them. Ashwin joining them is a testimony to his hard work. It took him 11 years to reach the milestone. It takes time and you got to work hard for that time. We have seen Ashwin try different things as well. He has a deep understanding of the game and he takes his time to study it," Parthiv told Cricbuzz.
"In 2008 when we both were a part of CSK, Ashwin was always curious to learn new things. He also used to spend time with Muralitharan during that phase. Credit to Ashwin... 436 wickets is a huge milestone. If he continues to play for another three-four years, he can get close or even break Kumble's record."
Ashwin made his Test debut in 2011 and has been the team's leading spinner in home conditions. But Parthiv also underlined the off-spinner's deep understanding of the sport, which helps him excel on overseas wickets as well.
"Ashwin reads the wicket well and varies his length and speed according to that. He also consults the wicketkeeper for the length and speed he needs to dismiss the batter. These things matter when you bowl overseas. You don't get much spin and you have to set up the batter in a different way. You've to deceive him in the air and tweak your angles as well. We have seen Ashwin dismissing Smith bowling round the wicket. He's a student of the game with the ability to adjust his bowling according to the surface," Parthiv added.
