Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin broke South African pacer Dale Steyn’s record as the bowler with the most Test wickets in a single season during the fourth Test against Australia at Dharamsala.
Ashwin began the game on 78 wickets in the 2016-17 season, level with Steyn who had picked up the same amount of wickets in the 2007-08 season.
The Tamil Nadu spinner took one wicket in Australia’s first innings – an important one at that, of Australia captain Steve Smith who was batting on 111 – to go clear of Steyn at the top.
Playing in his 13th match of the home season, Ashwin has 79 wickets at an average of 25.87 and a strike-rate of 55. He has picked up seven five-wicket hauls during the same period.
Ashwin’s spin partner Ravindra Jadeja finds himself third on the same list, having taken 68 wickets so far at an average of 23.48 this season.
79 wickets for Ashwin in 2016-17 - the most by any bowler in a season, going past Dale Steyn's 78 in 2007-08. #IndvAus
— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) March 25, 2017
The long home season for India began back in September 2016 with a three-match Test series against New Zealand, which the hosts won 3-0. It was followed by a series that consisted of five Tests against England, which India again won comfortably, this time by a 4-0 margin.
In February 2017, India played host to a one-off Test against Bangladesh which they won.
They are currently playing the final Test of the season against Australia, in a series which is level at 1-1 with everything to play for in Dharamsala.
