Kanpur: India’s R Ashwin became the first bowler to take 50 wickets in all three championships for the first time in the history of the World Test Championship. Ashwin achieved the historic feat by getting Shakib Al Hasan to the hands of Mohammed Siraj on the fourth day of the Kanpur Cricket Test against Bangladesh. Ashwin took six wickets in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai and has so far taken two wickets in the second Test in Kanpur.
In the inaugural World Test Championship of 2019-21, Ashwin was second in wicket-taking with 71 wickets in 14 matches. In the 2021-23 championship, Ashwin took 61 wickets in 13 matches. Ashwin’s achievement is 50 wickets from 10 Tests in the 2023-25 Championship.
Australia’s Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins and New Zealand’s Tim Southee have taken 50 or more wickets in two World Test Championships. With 181 wickets from the World Test Championship alone, Ashwin is six more wickets away from becoming the highest wicket-taker in the history of the Championship. Ashwin, who has taken 182 wickets in 37 Tests, is now second only to Nathan Lyon who has taken 187 wickets.
