India vs SL 1st Test: R Ashwin surpasses Kapil Dev to become India's second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket

Team India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (Source: Twitter)

All-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin on Sunday surpassed Kapil Dev's tally of 434 Test wickets. Ashwin achieved the feat on Day 3 of the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka in Mohali when the spinner removed Charith Asalanka just after tea break.

One of the contemporary greats, Ashwin achieved the feat in his 85th Test match compared to Kapil's 131 games.

Ashwin now has 435 Test wickets in his kitty and it makes him India's second-highest wicket-taker in the longest format, only behind Anil Kumble.

 That moment when @ashwinravi99 picked the landmark th Test wicket  #TeamIndia | #INDvSL | @Paytm pic.twitter.com/RKN3IguW8k — BCCI (@BCCI) March 6, 2022

Notably, Ashwin also became the 9th highest Test wicket-taker of all time after overtaking New Zealand's Richard Hadlee (431) and Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath (432) in the ongoing Test against Sri Lanka.

Most Test wickets for India:

• 619 - Anil Kumble
• 435 - R Ashwin *
• 434 - Kapil Dev
• 417 - Harbhajan
• 311 - Zaheer Khan/Ishant Sharma

Also, Ashwin, who made his Test debut in November 2011 against the West Indies in Delhi, is the fourth Indian bowler to take more than 400 wickets in Test cricket.

Among active Test cricketers, Ashwin is the third-highest wicket-taker after England fast bowling duo Stuart Broad (537) and James Anderson (640). The Indian spinner has so far taken 435 wickets in 85 Tests at a strike rate of 52.6 and an average of 24.33.