In the first Test at Windsor Park in Dominica, Ravichandran Ashwin delivered an impressive bowling performance, leading India to a crushing victory over the West Indies by an innings and 141 runs.
Ashwin emerged as the wrecker-in-chief, taking an astonishing seven wickets, dismantling the West Indies' batting lineup and extinguishing any hopes of resistance.
The pitch at Dominica's Windsor Park on the third day proved to be extremely challenging for the West Indian batsmen. Ashwin, renowned for his variations, adopted a simple approach, allowing the pitch to do its magic. He enticed the West Indian batters to play forward, resulting in LBW dismissals and opportunities for close-in fielders. Consequently, the tweaker from Chennai ended the innings with remarkable figures of 7/71. It is worth mentioning that Ashwin had also achieved a brilliant five-wicket haul in the first innings of the Test.
Best Test match figures by a spinner in West Indies
Ravichandran Ashwin's exceptional performance in the Test match included a remarkable five-wicket haul in the first innings and an impressive seven-wicket haul in the second innings. As a result, he concluded the game with outstanding combined bowling figures of 12/156.
Ashwin's remarkable feat now stands as the highest-ever figures achieved by a spinner in a Test match on West Indian soil. The previous record was held by Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal, who had claimed 11/111 in a Test match back in 2011.
Second-most international wickets for India
Ashwin achieved another significant milestone by becoming the player with the second-most international wickets for India. Ashwin elevated his international wicket tally to an impressive 709.
Before the start of the Test match, Ashwin had 698 wickets to his name. By crossing the 700-wicket mark, he joined an elite group of players, becoming only the third Indian cricketer to achieve this feat.
Ashwin surpassed the previous record held by Harbhajan Singh, who had amassed 707 international wickets during his illustrious career. Ashwin's current standing places him just below Anil Kumble, who remains the highest wicket-taker for India in international cricket with a staggering 953 wickets.
Joint-most match 10-fers for India
Ashwin showcased his exceptional talent once again, as he achieved his eighth 10-wicket haul in Test matches. This accomplishment is unparalleled by any other Indian cricketer, except for the legendary Anil Kumble, who also achieved eight 10-wicket hauls during his illustrious career. Ashwin's feat is a testament to his exceptional skill and his ability to dominate in the Test arena.
Joint-most 12-wicket hauls in a Test
Ashwin's wicket-taking effort in the recently concluded Test was his sixth instance of claiming a 12-wicket haul in a single Test match.
Only Muttiah Muralitharan has taken an equal number of 12-wicket hauls in his Test career. Ashwin went past Rangana Herath on the list, who achieved the feat five times in his career.
Joint-most 12-wicket hauls in a Test
Ashwin's impressive performance resulted in him claiming a remarkable 12-wicket haul. This achievement marked the sixth time in his career that he has achieved such a feat in a single Test match.
The only other cricketer to have achieved the same number of 12-wicket hauls in Test cricket is the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan. With this accomplishment, Ashwin surpassed Rangana Herath, who managed to achieve a 12-wicket haul on five occasions throughout his career.
