World No. 1 Test bowler Ravichandran Ashwin has equalled a unique record with the spinning legend Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan. Both have 11 titles as the most Player of the Series award in Test cricket’s history. And this is the highest count on the list.
On Tuesday, Ashwin won his 11th Player of the series award. The 38-year-old spinner scored a total of 114 runs in two the two of the series. Moreover, he took a total of 11 wickets in four innings he played.
In the first innings of the Chennai Test, Ashwin couldn't manage to get a wicket. However, he bounced back in the second innings, taking six wickets for 88 runs.
Ashwin picked up two wickets in the first inning and three in the second inning of the second Test played at Green Park in Kanpur.
Ashwin and records
In the first test, Ashwin came out to bat at No. 8 for India in the first innings, when the top order failed. There he played a stabilizing 113 run innings from 133 balls. He, there with Ravindra Jadeja added 199 runs for the seventh wicket helping India recover from 144 for 6. Thereafter India posted a total of 376 runs.
Throughout the two-match Test series, Ashwin also broke multiple bowling records. He also became the second only cricketer in the world to have 1000 runs and get 100 wickets in the WTC.
Read Also: India vs Bangladesh: Here are the records Ravichandran Ashwin broke in Chennai
Cricketers with Most player of the Series awards in Tests
- Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) – 11
- Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 11
- Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 9
- Imran Khan (Pakistan) – 8
- Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) – 8
- Shane Warne (Australia) – 8
Amongst the Indians, Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag hold the second position with 5 awards each.
Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, and Rahul Dravid have four Player of the Series awards to their name.
Virat Kohli has three Player of the Series awards to his name in Tests.