Ace Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin went past 400 Test wickets in the third Test match against England in Ahmedabad. He is sitting on 401 Test wickets and 24 wickets in the series so far. He is closing in on overtaking Harbhajan Singh‘s tally of 417 Test wickets. In his recent press-conference ahead of the third Test, he opened up on a range of topics from the Motera pitch to overtaking Anil Kumble‘s tally of 619 Test wickets. 

During the press conference, Ravichandran Ashwin was also asked to comment on the prospect of surpassing Anil Kumble, India’s leading wicket-taker in Tests (619). 

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I Have Stopped Thinking About Landmarks: Ravichandran Ashwin

“If you look at it pragmatically, it’s 218 wickets away. For me, I have stopped thinking about all those landmarks and all long, long time ago,” Ashwin said.

He further opined on not playing the shortest formats of the game for Team India and said, “It’s been about what I can do, how I can get better, what more I can offer to the team because every time you come back into this setup, especially now that I am only playing Test cricket, it’s important to come back and offer to the team.”

“I am looking to get better as an individual and cricketer. That’s probably one of the reasons why I am happy and I am enjoying my game and probably the best I have done in the last 15 years. I would like to continue this phase and not think about too much else,” he added. 

The 34-year-old has been in the form of his life in recent times. He returned as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the India-Australia Test series (11), held in the latter’s own backyard, and ensured a riveting draw in the penultimate Test of the series with a fine 39 not out at the SCG, Sydney. 

Both teams meet again in four day’s time for the fourth and final Test match in Ahmedabad. Thereafter the Narendra Modi stadium will host five T20Is followed by three ODIs in Pune.

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