India Vs Sri Lanka: R Ashwin breaks yet another Dennis Lillee record in Test cricket

New Delhi, July 31: Ravichandran Ashwin might not have been at his lethal best in the Galle Test against Sri Lanka, but the ace India off-spinner broke yet another record in his 50th appearance in whites.

The Tamil Nadu spinner took three wickets in the second innings and two in the first against Sri Lanka taking his wickets tally to 279 in 50 matches.

In doing so, the 30-year-old offie became the highest wicket taker after 50 Tests and went past Australian pace legen Dennis Lillee's record. Lillee had claimed 262 wickets from 50 Tests.

Ashwin now would be setting sights on becoming the fastest to reach 300 Test wickets, a record currently held by Lillee. The legengary Aussie pacer achieved this feat in 56 Tests.

Ashwin needs 21 more wickets to reach that milestone and if Sri Lankan pitches start assisting spinners the way they did when India last toured here in 2015, then he can do it in the remaining two games.

The wily off-spinner claimed three wickets giving away 65 runs in Sri Lanka's second innings to help India bundle out the hosts for 245 runs and win the first Test of the three match series by a massive 304 runs.

In less than six years since making his debut, Ashwin has become the fastest bowler to claim 250 Test wickets. But for the him numbers hardly have any significance in his career.

"For me it's always teams first. Since my childhood days when I dreamt of playing for India I had one goal and that is to take Indian cricket to greater heights," Ashwin said at the end of the first Test.

"I don't have any specific goals at all. I don't have any numbers in front of my eyes to achieve. I just want to give my best for the country and in the process I know I can achieve something for myself as well," he added.

India will clash with Sri Lanka in the second Test on Thursday (August 3).

OneIndia News