RAJKOT (Agencies): Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has become the second-fastest bowler to take 500 wickets in Test cricket during the first innings of the third Test against England here on Friday.
Ashwin began the Rajkot Test on 499 wickets and dismissed Zak Crawley (15) to claim his 500th wicket, becoming the ninth bowler to achieve this feat. He took only 98 Tests to reach the landmark, which is the second-fastest, while Sri Lankan legend Muthiah Muralidaran is the fastest as he took only 87 Test matches.
He is only the second Indian bowler to reach the milestone after fellow spinner Anil Kumble (619). Meanwhile, Ashwin also became the fifth spinner across the globe to join the elite 500-wicket club after Kumble, Muralidaran, Shane Warne and Nathan Lyon.
