With another 5-wicket haul, R Ashwin draws level with Test greats

Visakhapatnam, Nov 19: It was yet again Ravichandran Ashwin's bowing show in a Test match in India. This time, in the country's newest Test venue - Visakhapatnam.

Match scorecard; Series schedule; Photos

The 30-year-old offspinner bagged 5 wickets on the 3rd day of the 2nd Test against England today (November 19) to draw level with some of the greats of the game. (Ashwin unhappy with pitch 'jibe')

Thanks to Ashwin's 5/67 in the 1st innings on Saturday, India grabbed a big 200-run lead. England were bowled out for 255 in reply to the hosts' 455.

Ashwin took 2 wickets in two balls to bring an end to England innings. He will be on a hat-trick in the 2nd innings. He had earlier scored a half century, proving his all-round abilities.

With his latest five-wicket haul, Ashwin has drawn level (22 times of taking 5 or more wickets in an innings) with former great bowlers Waqar Younis (Pakistan), Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh (all 3 from West Indies).

Playing in his 41st Test, Ashwin has emulated some of the legends of the game by capturing 5 wickets again. The Tamil Nadu bowler now has 228 wickets after the completion of England's 1st innings today.

The world leader for most five-wicket hauls is Sri Lankan spin legend Muttaiah Muralitharan with 67. For India, current head coach Anil Kumble is on top with 35.

Ashwin is just one five-wicket haul away from matching another 3 greats - Kapil Dev (India), Imran Khan (Pakistan) and Dennis Lillee (Australia).

He now has five-wicket hauls against all Test nations he has played against (6 against New Zealand, 4 each versus Australia/South Africa/West Indies, 2 against Sri Lanka and 1 each versus Bangladesh and England). Ashwin is yet to play a Test against Pakistan and Zimbabwe.

Most 5-wicket hauls in Test cricket (As on November 19, 2016)

67 - Muttaiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)

37 - Shane Warne (Australia)

36 - Richard Hadlee (New Zealand)

35 - Anil Kumble (India)

29 - Glenn McGrath (Australia)

28 - Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)

27 - Ian Botham (England)

26 - Dale Steyn (South Africa)

25 - Wasim Akram (Pakistan), Harbhajan Singh (India)

24 - Sydney Barnes (England)

23 - Dennis Lillee (Australia), Imran Khan (Pakistan), Kapil Dev (India)

22 - Ravichandran Ashwin (India), Waqar Younis (Pakistan), Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh (all West Indies)

Here are some of the images of Ashwin from recent Test matches

A successful appeal

Ashwin made his Test debut against West Indies in Delhi in 2011. He has so far played 41 Tests.

India's number one spinner

Ashwin is India's number one spinner at the moment. He won the Man-of-the-series award in the recently concluded Test rubber against New Zealand which India made a 3-0 clean sweep. He took 27 wickets.