Ravichandran Ashwin, who was ‘just chasing milestone’, failed to grab 500 Test wickets, according to Kevin Pietersen

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Dhruv Kulkarni | Last updated 2/6/24

In the 2nd Test match of the England tour of India, Ravichandran Ashwin was left stranded on 499 wickets, just one away from the milestone. He began the series just 10 wickets away from completing 500 wickets, but managed 9 only. He went one innings wicketless while also conceding 100+ runs.

Noting how Ashwin hasn’t performed the way he usually does, Kevin Pietersen believes the reason the spinner performed that way is due to the pressure of 500 Test wickets. Pietersen noted how he bowled around the stump, which was unlike his usual style.

Ashwin was just chasing milestone. That's why he didn't bowl as well as he could have bowled. He did get it right on occasions. I thought he was way more threatening bowling wider outside off-stump round the wicket. I think he bowled over the wicket way too much to the right-handers. He can change bowling over-bowling around-bowling over more. Pietersen said on JioCinema

Ashwin has picked up 9 wickets in the series so far, with his best figures being 3/68 in the first Test. He right now averages 36.33, with the economy of 4.09.

Ravichandran Ashwin stranded at 499 wickets

In the 63rd over of England’s 2nd innings, Ravichandran Ashwin was bowling to Tom Hartley. Bowling over the wicket, he bowled a carrom ball and Hartley went for a reverse sweep. Instead it popped up behind the keeper and Rohit Sharma took a catch. Everyone celebrated as they believed Ashwin picked up his 500th wicket.

Hartley reviewed and the ultra-edge showed the ball missed his bat and hit his hand. The umpires then checked for LBW, which showed the impact and hitting as umpires call, with it being not out.

When Sharma enquired why Hartley was not out despite the on-field call being out, the umpire explained that he had given out for the catch and not for the LBW. This left Ashwin stranded at 499 wickets.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: