India's Talisman of Spin Bowling: On Ravi Ashwin and His 500-wicket Milestone

He is now a part of an elite group of just eight bowlers before him who have reached this milestone.

Rajkot: India's Ravichandran Ashwin bowls a delivery on the fourth day of the third test cricket match between India and England, at the Niranjan Shah Stadium, in Rajkot, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024.

(Photo: PTI)

Some people achieve great success and then there are those who achieve greatness. Ravi Ashwin is one such cricketer who has earned the right to be called a 'great' of the game, especially in the Test format, now with 500 wickets to his name. His remarkable feat came against England in the third test of the home series when he tossed one on the leg stump for Zack Crawley to sweep and get caught at short fine leg.

Ashwin’s guile and skill have made him a part of an elite group of just eight bowlers before him who have reached this milestone. Moreover, he has been the second-fastest to achieve this feat, reaching there in just 98 Tests. Ashwin now stands tall as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests, next only to legendary leggie Anil Kumble who has a tally of 619 wickets.

Despite such lofty numbers and memorable feats, why is the genial giant Ashwin not given the same recognition and hype that some of his peers get? Is it due to his inherent modesty and humility, steering clear of self-promotion and a flashy public image? There are, of course, some critics who argue that Ashwin’s records are the results of rank turners produced in India over the past decade and not particularly due to Ashwin’s own skill.

Unfairly, some of the past greats have been rather unkind to Ashwin. Some say that while Ashwin has exerted a strong impact in India, he has been listless in overseas conditions. This facile assumption, however, hides an irony - the numbers suggest that Ashwin is indeed the most potent spin weapon when India has toured abroad.

His 149 wickets away from home at an average of 30.4 is much superior to his predecessor Harbhajan Singh who has 152 wickets but at an average of 38.9 and in far more matches. This simple comparison with the more highly-rated Bhajji is quite an eye-opener.

As a matter of fact, Ashwin had to wait patiently for a consistent spot in Team India due to the presence of Harbhajan. His debut for Tamil Nadu was as early as 2006 when he picked up six wickets against Haryana but Ashwin played his first Test only at the end of 2011. Then he picked up nine wickets in his maiden Test and was Player of the Match too. He was essentially considered a limited-overs specialist in his early career, evident from the fact that he played his first ODI in mid-2010, a good year and a half before his Test debut.

That Ashwin could ultimately force his way into the Indian side owing to his master control on off-spin, is a testament to his mental strength. India was desperately searching for a talented spinner after Kumble’s retirement and Harbhajan’s career went on a decline.

Sadly, he suffers as he follows after the flamboyant and extrovert-ish Harbhajan who captured popular imagination in more ways than one. Interestingly, Harbhajan has had a few subtle digs at him in the past where he has given credit to the pitches for Ashwin's success. Bhajji has even gone on record to claim that he would have taken far more wickets if he had bowled on the dust bowls which are provided to Ashwin and Jadeja.

Adding another layer to the narrative are others who often romanticize the era of the spin quartet of the 1960s and 70s which had Erapalli Prasanna and Srinivas Venkataraghavan who were both high-quality off-spinners. Many experts feel that the duo from the earlier generation, especially Prasanna, had better control of their craft than Ashwin. While experts can have their own preferences, the stats present a compelling case for Ashwin. Prasanna has played 49 matches and taken 189 wickets at an average of 30.38 and Venkatraghavan took 156 scalps in 57 matches at a high average of 36.11.

In sharp contrast, Ashwin’s overall average is just 23.93 and he’s also the fastest to 300 wickets and the second fastest behind the great Muthiah Muralitharan to 400. In addition, he has a fine ODI and T20 record to go along with his Test accomplishments. Comparing him with anyone is being unfair to his skill and ability.

He is the off-spinner with the most variations of all time and also one of the most intelligent cricketers India has ever produced. Not many spinners in the world have a carrom ball and an arm ball in their arsenal, let alone being accurate while bowling them.

Ashwin's cricketing prowess extends beyond his spin variations; he possesses formidable batting abilities, evident in his five Test centuries. This unique combination sets him apart from other greats, with none of the eight bowlers above Ashwin on the highest wicket-takers list having a batting average above 20. In his formative years, Ashwin aspired to be an opening batsman and his superior technique has yielded over 3000 runs in Test cricket at an average of 26. Ashwin’s heroics with the bat have dug India out of several precarious holes and many admirers are miffed that his all-round brilliance is an often-overlooked aspect of his career.

While he may not have been the conventional choice for captaincy, given the general bias against bowlers, his qualities as a great student of the game and his commitment to the sport are undeniable. It was unfortunate that he couldn't take further part in the first innings of the recent Test after bagging Crawley as his 500th wicket due to a family emergency. Ashwin has often acknowledged the backing he has received from his father and interestingly his mother was the one who urged him to take up spin bowling when he used to bowl medium pace.

Even amid a grave personal crisis, he was back a day later, warming up after the Tea break on day four.

While he wasn't needed to bowl much as the English side crashed cheaply, he did pick up a wicket in just six overs that he bowled. Post-match, Rohit Sharma too lauded Ashwin’s strong character and commitment to re-joining national duty despite a personal crisis.

In an era of in-your-face self-promotion, Ashwin's under-stated style has implied that his super success often remains under the radar. However, simplicity is a defining aspect of Ashwin's character, evident even in his restrained celebration after reaching the 500-wicket milestone. With India setting its sights on the ICC Test title, Ashwin's continued presence is indispensable. Recognizing, rewarding, and celebrating his contributions would be a fitting tribute to an exceptional cricketer.

As Anil Kumble aptly pointed out, Ravi Ashwin could well emerge as India's top all-time wicket-taker, and it is incumbent upon the cricketing fraternity to send him the respect, appreciation, and love he so richly deserves,

(Siddhaarth Mahan is a writer on sports who also works as an actor and filmmaker in the Hindi film industry. He tweets at @siddhaarthmahan.)