Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble laud Ravichandran Ashwin for historic achievement in Rajkot Test

Ravichandran Ashwin stole the limelight on Day 2 of the continuing third Test match between India and England as he cracked the 500-Test wickets membership on Friday. The veteran spin all-rounder turned the one second Indian cricketer after Anil Kumble and ninth total to register 500 Test wickets.

The 37-year-old Ashwin dismissed opener Zak Crawley to provide India a much-needed breakthrough in the third session and that was sufficient to script historical past at Rajkot’s Niranjan Shah Cricket Stadium. Fans erupted with an enormous cheer as quickly as Rajat Patidar bagged a simple catch at quick fine-leg space.

Indian gamers congratulated Ashwin because the latter appreciated the group after reaching the historic quantity. Former cricketers additionally lauded the spin ace for reaching the 500-wicket milestone with congratulatory posts on social media.

The former captain and legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar, who additionally shared a dressing room with Ashwin, termed the spinner a one-in-a-million bowler in his distinctive X put up. 

“500 Test wickets for a one-in-a-million bowler,” Sachin wrote in his X put up. “In AshWIN the SpinNER, there was always a WINNER. 500 wickets is a huge milestone in Test cricket. Congratulations, Champion!”

Anil Kumble welcomed Ashwin into the 500-Test wickets membership by calling him a champion bowler in his X put up after Day 2’s play. Former cricketers Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan, VVS Laxman and Ravi Shastri additionally praised Ashwin for the historic achievement by social media posts. 

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi additionally highlighted Ashwin’s extraordinary milestone in Tests and wished him the very best for the longer term.

“Congratulations to Ravichandran Ashwin on the extraordinary milestone of taking 500 Test wickets,” PM Modi wrote in his X put up. “His journey and accomplishments are testament to his skill and perseverance. My best wishes to him as he scales further peaks.”

Meanwhile, Ashwin, taking part in in his 98th Test match, additionally turned the second-fastest to document 500 wickets in red-ball cricket after legendary Muthiah Muralidaran who took 84 matches.