Top 5 best bowling figures by Ravichandran Ashwin in test cricket

Ravichandran Ashwin is India’s second-highest test wicket-taker, after Anil Kumble.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has etched his name in the pantheon of the greatest spinners and India’s biggest match-winners in test cricket.

In his 100-test career, the Tamil Nadu cricketer has picked up 516 wickets, the second-highest for India and the ninth-highest overall in the world. His bowling average of 23.75 is the fourth-best among the top 10 wicket-takers in test cricket.

Ashwin is in the last phase of his career but continues to remain a key cog of the side, especially in tests in Asia and the West Indies. While he has not been as effective in taking wickets in SENA countries as in Asia, Ashwin has had a role to play in some famous overseas wins with his tidy and economical bowling.

In this article, we will look at his top five bowling figures in test cricket.

Top 5 best bowling figures by Ravichandran Ashwin in test cricket:

5. 7/103 vs Australia, Chennai, 2013

Ravichandran Ashwin played the leading role with the ball in India’s 4-0 whitewash over Australia at home in the 2013 series. One of his best performances came at his home ground in Chennai in the first test of that series.

In Australia’s first innings, he picked up seven wickets while bowling 42 overs and conceded 103 runs, keeping a brilliant economy of 2.45. His victims included Shane Watson and David Warner. Australia were bowled out for 380.

He then went on to take a five-wicket haul in the second innings as well, which meant India got a small target of 50 runs, which they chased down easily.

4. 7/83 vs West Indies, North Sound, 2016

In the Antigua test of the 2016 tour of West Indies, Ashwin produced a terrific all-round performance. He first scored 113 runs with the bat, while Virat Kohli scored a double century, as India posted 566.

Then, although he failed to pick up a wicket in West Indies’ first innings, the off-spinner rocked the hosts with a seven-wicket haul in the second innings. West Indies lost the match by an innings and 92 runs, with Ashwin bagging the Man of the Match award. He bowled eight maidens in his 25 overs in West Indies’ second innings.

3. 7/71 vs West Indies, Roseau, 2023

Ravichandran Ashwin’s third-best bowling figures in test cricket came against West Indies in the Dominica test in 2023. Ashwin’s five-for in the first innings bowled the hosts out for only 150 runs before Yashasvi Jaiswal struck 171 on his test debut.

Miles behind in the game, West Indies were knocked over for merely 130 runs in their second innings, courtesy of Ashwin’s 7/71 in 21.3 overs, which included seven maidens. He dismissed three of the top five batters before cleaning up the last four.

2. 7/66 vs South Africa, 2015

The IND vs SA series in 2015 was played on extremely spin-friendly surfaces in India, and Ashwin made the most out of helpful conditions.

In the third test in Nagpur, where South Africa were bowled out for 79 and 185, Ashwin recorded figures of 5/32 and 7/66. India won by 124 runs and Ashwin was adjudged the Player of the Match.

1. 7/59 vs New Zealand, Indore, 2016

Ravichandran Ashwin’s best bowling figures in test cricket are 7/59, which he attained against New Zealand in Indore in 2016. Kohli’s double century meant India amassed 557 in their first innings before Ashwin got into the action.

The off-spinner then registered figures of 6/81 and 7/59 in New Zealand’s two innings, leading India to a victory by a huge margin of 321 runs. He was named the Man of the Match as well as the Man of the Series for picking 27 wickets in three tests.

(All stats updated till 20th September, 2024)

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