Home Cricket Ravichandran Ashwin is capable of breaking Anil Kumble’s record, says Sunil Gavaskar

Ravichandran Ashwin is capable of breaking Anil Kumble’s record, says Sunil Gavaskar

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Ravichandran Ashwin is capable of breaking Anil Kumble’s record, says Sunil Gavaskar
Mohali: India’s Ravindra Jadeja with R Ashwin during the 3rd day of 1st cricket test match between India and Sri Lanka, at IS Bindra PCA Stadium, Mohali, Sunday, March 06, 2022. (PTI Photo/Vijay Verma)(PTI03_06_2022_000190B)

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar feels Ravichandran Ashwin is capable of breaking Anil Kumble’s record to become the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket for India. The Indian off-spinner scalped 12 wickets in the recently concluded Test series against Sri Lanka and has 442 wickets in Tests.

Former Indian captain and legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar feels Ravichandran Ashwin can break Anil Kumble‘s record for maximum wickets in Test cricket. Anil Kumble who retired back in 2008 is the highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket with 619 wickets in a career spanning over eighteen years. Sunil Gavaskar is of the opinion that Ravichandran Ashwin is constantly improving as a bowler which is why it is possible for him to surpass the great Anil Kumble. The former India batter knows that it won’t be easy for the Indian off-spinner but thinks it can be done. 

Ravichandran Ashwin became India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket after leaving behind Kapil Dev who had 434 wickets in the format. Ashwin achieved the milestone in the first Test match against Sri Lanka which took place in Mohali. In the recently concluded Sri Lanka series, the right-arm off-spinner took 12 wickets taking his tally to 442 wickets in the longest format of the game.

While speaking to Star Sports, Sunil Gavaskar said, “It’s still a fair distance to go, we are talking about another 160 wickets. But he is capable of doing that because he just keeps getting better. He doesn’t rest on his laurels”. 

Sunil Gavaskar also talked about Jasprit Bumrah and talked about the similarities that he has with Ravichandran Ashwin. 

“Jasprit Bumrah, who got into Test cricket after Ashwin, is exactly like Ashwin in the sense that he is always looking to add to his repertoire. That is what Ashwin does. At a time a year and year-and-half-ago, Ashwin was trying leg-spin because you can as variety ball bowl that, especially if you have got 500 runs in the bank,” he stated.

“He is not afraid to experiment. Yes, he might hit, that’s the nature of the game. But the fact that he is doing something different and wanting to create doubts in the batter’s mind. He and Bumrah are so similar in that aspect, aggressive bowlers, wanting to get wickets and not just happy with getting those easy wickets. They want to make sure they have got the batters.”