Internet Desk: World No.1 Indian Test team is set to face Sri Lanka in the first Test of the three-match Test series at the Eden Gardens on Thursday. Ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin would be eyeing to reach another milestone in Test cricket as he needs just 8 wickets to become the fastest bowler to take 300 Test wickets and he still has 4 Test matches in hand to achieve that record.
Ashwin has 292 wickets under his belt from 52 Tests. Legendary Dennis Lillee is holding the top spot at present with 300 wickets in just 56 matches. Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan had taken 300 wickets from just 58 games. Richard Hadlee, Malcom Marshall and Dale Steyn are jointly holding the third spot in the list as they all took their 300th Test wicket in their 61st game.
Till know, former Indian captain and legendary spinner Anil Kumble is holding the record of becoming the fastest Indian player to reach 300 wickets. Kumble took 66 Test to achieve this feat. Ashwin also just need 6 wickets to claim his 50 or more Test wickets in a calendar year. This would be his third successive year to claim 50 or more Test wickets.
Though Ashwin’s record at the Eden Gardens is not that good with the ball. His bowling average at this venue is his worst in India. This is the only ground where he played more than two Test matches but failed to take a five-wicket haul.