Ashwin Creates History, Finishes as Year-End Number One Bowler

File photo of R Ashwin. (Photo: Reuters)

• Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has ended 2015 as the number one Test bowler and all-rounder in the ICC rankings.
  
• Ashwin picked up 62 wickets in nine Tests this year.

Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has ended 2015 as the number one Test bowler and all-rounder in the ICC rankings issued on Thursday on the back of his strong performance against South Africa in the recent home series.

Ashwin, who took 62 wickets in nine Tests this year including 31 scalps in the four matches against South Africa, became the first Indian bowler since Bishen Bedi in 1973 to achieve the milestone of finishing the year on top.

R Ashwin has been India’s premier bowler in 2015. (Photo: Ron Gaunt / BCCI / SPORTZPICS)

In fact, Bedi, an ICC Hall of Famer, is the only India bowler to ever top the Test bowling table, while Bhagwath Chandrasekhar, Kapil Dev and Anil Kumble managed to get to number two during their careers.

Ashwin achieved the number-one spot among Test bowlers after an injury prevented South African Dale Steyn from bowling more than 3.5 overs in England’s second innings in the Durban Test.

Dale Steyn had to face to many injury trobles during the tow end of the year. (Photo: AP)

Steyn had started the Durban Test leading Ashwin by four points and now trails the India off-spinner by the same margin. Even though the fast bowler bagged four wickets in the first innings, it was not enough for him to end the year as the number-one ranked bowler for the sixth time since 2009.

Ashwin’s successful season was reflected in his ranking after he started the year in the 15th position and slowly but surely moved to the top of the chart.

<p>Finishing the year as the number-one ranked Test bowler is like an icing on the cake that I have managed to build over the past last 12 months. I always wanted to get there one day. There can’t be a better way to finish the 2015.</p>

<p>R Ashwin</p>