Ravichandran Ashwin: The Biggest Series Winner At Home In Test History

Ravichandran Ashwin called it quits from international cricket at the end of the Brisbane Test against Australia last week. He was an all-time great with the seventh-highest number of wickets in Test history. Ashwin picked 537 wickets in 106 matches at an average of 24 and strike rate of 50.7. Amongst spinners, he was only behind Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne and Anil Kumble. 

Ashwin was a genius at home and India's biggest series winner ever in Test cricket. Over the years, he also improved his record in SENA and was instrumental in some landmark victories in those countries. 

We look at some numbers which define the Test career of the legendary off spinner. 

The most Series-Defining performances for a bowler at home in Tests 

Ashwin was a giant on helpful conditions in India. He picked 383 wickets in 65 matches at a sensational average of 21.57 and strike rate of 46 at home in Test cricket – it is the best strike rate for any spinner in home conditions in Test history! 

Even better than Murali's 50.8 in Sri Lanka. That is how good and lethal Ashwin was in his own backyard – brilliantly consistent and often unplayable. He was the biggest match and series winner for India at home in Test cricket and produced as many as 11 Series-Defining performances (SD) with the ball in just 20 series. 

An SD is a high impact performance in a victorious match which ultimately dictated the course of a series. This implies that Ashwin was the leading bowler for India in 11 of 20 home series he played in – showcasing his sustained excellence with the ball. 

Just for perspective, Murali gave 7 such SDs in 25 home series in Sri Lanka! In fact, no bowler in Test history produced more SDs in home conditions than Ashwin did in India – not even James Anderson in England or Glenn McGrath in Australia or Malcolm Marshall in West Indies! Ashwin returned with 303 wickets in 47 victorious Tests in India. 

Only Murali had more wickets in wins in home conditions – he bagged 305 such wickets in Sri Lanka. Ashwin's strike rate of 39.9 in victorious matches in India is the second-best in Test history (min. 50 wickets and 10 matches) after Rangana Herath who had a strike rate of 39.8 in wins in Sri Lanka. Ashwin has won 11 Player of the Series Awards in 44 series – the most for any player in Test history along with Murali who also had 11 but in 61 series. 

Ashwin's propensity to pick wickets was the best for a spinner in Test history 

Ashwin was unlike a conventional off-spinner and did not bowl to restrict the opposition batters. He had no defensive bone in his body and was always discovering new strategies and deliveries to dismiss the opponent. Ashwin's bowling strike rate of 50.7 is the best ever for a spinner in Test cricket history (min. 150 wickets). 

Just for perspective, Murali had a strike rate of 55, Shane Warne – 57.4, Nathan Lyon – 62.2 and Anil Kumble – 65.9. 

The best win percentage for an Indian in Test cricket 

India won 61 of the 106 Tests Ashwin played for the country – that win percentage of 57.55% is the highest such percentage for India and the sixth-highest overall after Matthew Hayden, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne – basically, all Australians who were part of the world-beating team of the late 1990s and 2000s. 

Ashwin bagged 374 wickets in wins for India which places him at number 5 on the all-time list only behind Warne, Murali, McGrath and Anderson. A whopping 69.56% of Ashwin's wickets came in wins for India showcasing his contribution in India's success. 

The most 25+ wickets in a series 

Ashwin bagged 25-plus wickets in a Test series on as many as 7 occasions – the most such instances in Test history! Warne and Murali follow on the list having achieved the feat in six occasions each. All of Ashwin's 25+ in a series came in India but against top-quality opposition – three times against England, twice against Australia and once each vs South Africa and New Zealand. 

His highest tally came against England in the home series of 2021 when he returned with 32 dismissals at an average of 14.7. The other instance where he bagged 30-plus wickets came in the 3-0 win against South Africa in 2015 where Ashwin picked 31 wickets at an average of 11.1! Only four other bowlers have picked 30+ wickets on two occasions in a home series. They are Alec Bedser, Ian Botham, Clarrie Grimmett and Craig McDermott! 

Most wickets against left-handed batters in Test history 

Ashwin was the best bowler in Test history against left-hander batters and a nightmare for the southpaws. He picked 268 wickets at an average of 19.84 and strike rate of 46.9 against their ilk in Test cricket. No bowler in Test cricket has bagged more wickets than Ashwin against left-handers. Amongst the 76 bowlers who have dismissed a minimum of 50 left-handers, Ashwin has the second-best average only after Curtly Ambrose (18.59). His top 5 on the dismissal list are all left-handers and include Ben Stokes (13 times), David Warner (11 times), James Anderson, Alastair Cook and Tom Latham (9 times each).