R Ashwin became the ninth man, and only the second Indian, to the landmark of 500 Test wickets. The 37-year-old offspinner got there on the second day in Rajkot, dismissing England's Zak Crawley in the final session. He is also the second-fastest to achieve the feat, getting there in his 98th Test.
Ashwin's 500th scalp was a timely one for India, after England's openers had responded to India's first-innings score of 445 with an 89-run stand in just 13 overs. He broke the partnership by having Crawley top-edging a sweep to Rajat Patidar at short fine leg.
Ashwin, who made his debut for India in November 2011, has been key to the home dominance that they've shown for the last decade. Overall, he has picked up 34 five-wicket hauls and eight match hauls of ten or more. Only Anil Kumble, who has 619 wickets, is ahead of Ashwin among Indians on the wicket-takers' tally in Tests. He is also only the third offspinner to the mark, alongside Muthiah Muralidaran and Nathan Lyon.
His 500th wicket was Ashwin's tenth in this series, in his fifth innings, and he has averaged about 34 per wicket at a strike rate of 50. He had figures of 3 for 68 and 3 for 126 in the first Test in Hyderabad, and 0 for 61 and 3 for 72 in the second in Visakhapatnam.
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