Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Sunday became the first bowler in Test cricket’s history to dismiss left-handed batters 250 times. Ashwin achieved the feat on the fourth day of the IND vs ENG 3rd Test when he took the wicket of English counterpart Tom Hartley.
Ashwin has been in good form in the ongoing IND vs ENG series. He became only the second bowler in Indian cricket to take 500 wickets in Test cricket.
On Sunday, he got hold of another record, becoming the first bowler in the 143-year history of Tests to dismiss left-handers 250 times.
Ashwin achieved the feat by taking the wicket of England spinner Tom Hartley. Hartley tried to heave a ball outside off stump and ended up inside edging the ball on to the stumps. Ashwin didn’t celebrate too much in spite of achieving such a rare feat.
He is ahead of some of the great bowlers of Test cricket in terms of dismissing left-handers. England pacer James Anderson is the closest to Ashwin in dismissing left-handers, with 217 dismissals.
Another England bowler Stuart Broad has dismissed left-handers 193 times, followed by Muthaiah Muralidharan (191) and Nathan Lyon (184). For the upcoming bowlers, it would take quite some effort to surpass Ashwin and take over the record.