[Sport] India vs England: R Ashwin becomes second-highest wicket-taker in India, surpasses Harbhajan Singh.

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The Tamil Nadu off-spinner has gone past Harbhajan, who took 265 wickets in India at an average of 28.76, by dismissing Ben Stokes with a perfect off-spinner on the second day of the second Test against England at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

 

Ashwin's 266 wickets at home have come at an average of 22.67. Spin legend Anil Kumble is the leading wicket-taker in Tests in India with 350 scalps at an average of 24.88. Kumble is also India's leading wicket-taker in Tests with 619 scalps to his game.

Harbhajan is third in the overall standings with 417 wickets and Ashwin, who is inching towards the 400-mark, is fourth. The legendary Kapil Dev is second with 434 wickets. Meanwhile, the right-arm spinner grabbed his career's 29th five-wicket haul as India restricted England batting line-up for 134 in their first innings and took a healthy 195-run-lead. Ashwin continued his good form with the ball as he returned with impeccable figures of 5/43 as the tourists witnessed a batting collapse on the Chepauk track which has plenty to offer to the spinners. He got the wicket of Stuart Broad to complete his 29th fifer and the Tamil Nadu off-spinner also became the first bowler in the history of Test cricket to pick up 200 wickets of left-handed batsmen.

Earlier in the day, India added 29 runs to their overnight score. The aggressive Pant scored 25 of those runs, hitting two fours and two sixes to remain unbeaten. For England, pacer Olly Stone finished with 3 for 47 in his first game in India.