The match-winning bowler: Taking the final wicket most times
The final fall of the wicket always brings joy to the entire winning team in any particular format. Especially, the bowler who picks up the last wicket of the opposition team celebrates the most among his team members for claiming a victory for his side. In the longest and ultimate format of the game, R Ashwin recently surpassed the tally of the late Shane Warne with the most match-winning scalps.
Asian giants India is currently on a West Indies tour for a full-fledged series that began with the Test match at Windsor Park in Roseau in Dominica. The runners-up of the World Test Championship (WTC) final, India defeated the home side comprehensively by an innings and 141 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Experienced campaigner Ashwin took the final wicket of the innings and went past legendary Warne’s number of 22 with that. The off-spinner has now picked up the last scalp of the innings of a Test match 23 times in his career so far.
Speaking in detail about the Dominica Test, skipper Kraigg Brathwaite won the toss and opted to bat first. The hosts got bundled out cheaply for just 150 in 64.3 overs as Ashwin snared five scalps for 60 runs in 24.3 overs which also included six maidens. In reply, debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed 171 while captain Rohit Sharma scored 103 as India declared their first innings for 421/5.
The Caribbean side found it difficult to face the off-spin of Ashwin yet again as they got bowled out for a mere 130 in 50.3 overs. The 36-year-old veteran picked up seven wickets for 71 runs in 21.3 overs with seven maidens. It included the final scalp of Jomel Warrican as he got dismissed LBW to the spin bowler.
Having made his debut against the same side in Delhi in the year 2011, Ashwin is playing in his 94th Test match. Before the ongoing second match of the West Indies series, Ashwin had played 93 games. In 176 innings, he has picked up a staggering 486 wickets at an average of 23.61 with the best bowling figures of 7/59 and 34 five-wicket hauls. He has taken ten wickets in a match eight times in his illustrious career so far.
