R Ashwin goes past Nathan Lyon, becomes 7th highest wicket-taker in Test history

India vs New Zealand, Pune Test: Ravichandran Ashwin went past Australia's Nathan Lyon to become the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Test history.

In Short

• R Ashwin goes past Nathan Lyon in Test wickets list
• He becomes seventh-highest wicket-taker in Tests
• The Indian spinner has taken 531 Test wickets

Star Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin made history on Thursday, surpassing Australian spinner Nathan Lyon to become the seventh-highest wicket-taker in the history of Test cricket. Playing in his 104th Test match during the second Test against New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, the 38-year-old claimed three crucial wickets.

Ashwin, who started the day needing three wickets to overtake Lyon's tally of 530 wickets, reached the milestone in stunning fashion. His first breakthrough came in his very first over when he dismissed New Zealand captain Tom Latham for 15, setting the tone for the day's play. Ashwin then removed Will Young (18), with wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant taking a sharp catch to give India the upper hand in the New Zealand innings. His third wicket of the day came when Devon Conway, who had been anchoring New Zealand's innings with a well-made 76, was caught by Pant once again.

IND v NZ, 2nd Test Day 1 Updates

With these wickets, Ashwin's total now stands at 531 wickets, placing him just ahead of Lyon, who has 530 wickets in Test cricket. This achievement puts Ashwin in seventh place on the all-time list of wicket-takers in the longest format of the game. The illustrious list is topped by Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan with 800 wickets, followed by Australia's Shane Warne (708), England's James Anderson (704), India's Anil Kumble (619), England's Stuart Broad (604), and Australia's Glenn McGrath (563).

MOST WICKETS IN TEST CRICKET

Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) – 800
Shane Warne (Australia) – 708
James Anderson (England) – 704
Anil Kumble (India) – 619
Stuart Broad (England) – 604
Glenn McGrath (Australia) – 563
Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 531
Nathan Lyon (Australia) – 530

In addition to climbing the all-time Test wicket-taking ranks, Ashwin also solidified his dominance in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC). By taking two wickets earlier in the morning session, he overtook Nathan Lyon as the leading wicket-taker in WTC history. Ashwin now has 189 WTC wickets to his name, surpassing Lyon's 187.

This impressive tally highlights Ashwin's consistency and match-winning ability in the WTC, where he has played 39 matches compared to Lyon's 43. Ashwin's performances have been pivotal for India, particularly in home conditions, where his guile and variations have troubled even the most accomplished batters.

Ashwin's remarkable career is still flourishing, and he now has his sights set on further milestones. If he manages to take two more wickets in this innings, it will mark his 38th five-wicket haul in Test cricket, moving him past the great Shane Warne, who achieved the feat 37 times in his illustrious career.