Ravichandran Ashwin breaks Anil Kumble’s record in India vs Australia series

Ravichandran Ashwin has been Anil Kumble’s go-to man in the current India vs Australia series where pitches in Pune and Bangalore have typically favoured the slow bowlers.

Ravichandran Ashwin broke his coach Anil Kumble’s record of most balls bowled in a Test season by sending 3749 balls till the end of Australian innings in the second Test match in Bangalore on Monday. (LIVE BLOG | LIVE SCORECARD)

Ravichandran Ashwin celebrates with teammates the wicket of an Australian batsman during the ongoing series. Ashwin has broken coach Anil Kumble’s record of most balls bowled in a Test season. (PTI)

The Tamil Nadu off spinner bowled 3,749 balls in 21 innings of 11 Test matches this season so far while leg spinner Anil Kumble bowled 3,673 balls in 22 innings of 11 Test matches in 2004-05 season.

Australia's Matt Renshaw and Shaun Marsh run between the wickets as India's Ravichandran Ashwin looks on in Bangalore.

Ravichandran Ashwin took two for 84 in the Australian first innings in Bangalore. On Monday, Ashwin was overshadowed by Ravindra Jadeja, who took 6 for 63 to polish off the Aussie lower middle order. This was Jadeja’s second six-wicket haul.

If India have to win Bangalore and level the four-Test series, Ashwin will remain Virat Kohli’s go-to man.

(With inputs from S. Pervez Qaiser)