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Ravichandran Ashwin is widely acknowledged as India’s premier spinner at present, with many cricket aficionados even considering him the greatest spinner in the country’s history. With an impressive tally of 527 wickets in 102 Test matches, Ashwin stands second among active bowlers globally, trailing only Australia’s Nathan Lyon. To break Anil Kumble’s record and become India’s highest Test wicket-taker, Ashwin needs to secure an additional 92 wickets
A remarkable journey through international cricket
Ashwin embarked on his international career in 2010, beginning with an ODI against Sri Lanka in Harare, shortly followed by his T20I debut against Zimbabwe. He played a pivotal role in India’s triumph in the ODI World Cup 2011, contributing to the nation’s second title win after a 28 years. Additionally, Ashwin was instrumental in securing the Champions Trophy for India in 2013.
His Test debut occurred in 2011 against the West Indies in Delhi, where he was honored as the Player of the Match after taking nine wickets across both innings. Since that debut, Ashwin has accumulated remarkable statistics, including 527 wickets and 3,423 runs, which feature five centuries. In One Day Internationals, he has claimed 156 wickets from 116 matches, while in T20Is, he has taken 72 wickets in 65 appearances. His consistent and impactful performances make him an invaluable asset to the Indian cricket team.
Harbhajan Singh’s choice: Successors to Ravichandran Ashwin
As Ashwin nears the conclusion of his illustrious career, conversations about potential successors have intensified. Recently, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh identified a promising young talent, Anmoljeet Singh, a 17-year-old off-spinner from Punjab, who could emerge as Ashwin’s successor. Anmoljeet recently received selection for the U19 team facing Australia, thanks to his impressive performances in domestic cricket. Over the last two seasons, he took an astounding 65 wickets in the Vijay Merchant Trophy U16, which significantly contributed to Punjab’s championship victory.
“Anmol from Punjab, who was recently selected for the U19 team against Australia, could carry forward the legacy of off-spin and potentially take Ashwin’s place,” Harbhajan said to CricTracker during an interview.
Currently leading the Manipal Tigers in the Legends League Cricket (LLC) 2024, Harbhajan highlighted Anmoljeet ‘s potential to carry forward the legacy of off-spin in India. Although Anmoljeet did not feature in the playing XI for the first Youth Test against Australia in Chennai, the upcoming second match on October 7 presents an opportunity for him to demonstrate his skills if he is included.
Ashwin’s current form and continued significance
Despite recently celebrating his 38th birthday, Ashwin shows no signs of waning performance. His outstanding contributions during the recent two-match Test series against Bangladesh earned him the Player of the Series accolade. With ten Test matches ahead, critical for securing a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final, Ashwin’s experience and expertise remain vital to the team’s aspirations. With his extraordinary journey and achievements, Ashwin has firmly established himself as one of the most celebrated spinners in the annals of Indian cricket.
