England vs India: Ashwin 5 wickets away from breaking veteran India bowler's record

The England vs India first of the five-Test match begins today (Wednesday, August 4) at 3:30 PM IST and while India aims to return to winning ways, one particular player to watch out for will be ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who stands a good chance to achieve yet another feat. 

R Ashwin is currently the fourth highest wicket-taker for India across all formats with 413 scalps to his name and finds himself only behind Harbhajan Singh, Kapil Dev and Anil Kumble. While Anil Kumble's 619 wickets is too far ahead, R Ashwin has the opportunity to surpass Harbhajan Singh who is on 417 wickets. 

Only earlier this year did R Ashiwn touch a few feats, he became the 16th player to take 400 Test wickets and became the second fastest to the feat with only Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan taking lesser games. R Ashwin also surpassed Harbhajan Singh for the most wickets on Indian turf, with only legendary spinner Anil Kumble ahead.

R Ashwin in the same India vs England test series became the first spinner in more than 100 years to get a wicket off the first ball of an innings when he dismissed opener Rory Burns for a duck. However, the England vs India series will be quite different as it is being played in English conditions, and R Ashwin has just 18 wickets to his name.

The bowler however has the best economy rate of his career (2.53) giving away just 506 runs from 200.1 overs with 43 maidens with a best of 4/62. Ashwin's numbers over the last few years have improved and all eyes will be on R Ashwin who is just 5 wickets away from breaking Mr.Terminators records.

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England vs India: R Ashwin career stats

Fewest Tests to 100 Test wickets

16 Tests - George Lohmann 
17 Tests - Charlie Turner, Sydney Barnes, Clarrie Grimmett, Yasir Shah
18 Tests - Ravichandran Ashwin

Fewest Tests to 200 Test wickets

33 Tests - Yasir Shah
36 Tests - Clarrie Grimmett
37 Tests - Ravichandran Ashwin

Fewest Tests to 300 Test wickets

54 Tests - Ravichandran Ashwin
56 Tests - Dennis Lillee
58 Tests - Muttiah Muralitharan

Fewest Tests to 400 Test wickets

72 Tests - Muttiah Muralitharan
77 Tests - Ravichandran Ashwin
80 Tests - Dale Steyn, Richard Hadlee

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Image credits: AP