Sourav Ganguly, the ex-captain of India, gave a big thumbs up to the spinner R Ashwin, saying he’s one of the best ever. Ashwin is about to play his 100th Test match when India faces England in the fifth and final Test at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.
R Ashwin crossed the 500-wicket mark in Test cricket in Rajkot, making him only the second Indian to do so after Anil Kumble. He also went ahead of Kumble for the most Test wickets at home, reaching the 350-wicket mark at home.
Ashwin joined an elite club, becoming the ninth bowler to pick 500 wickets in Test cricket. Others in this exclusive group include legends like Muthiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Kumble, Glenn McGrath, Courtney Walsh, and Nathan Lyon.
In an interview with Revsportz, Ganguly praised R Ashwin, calling him an all-time great. He also gave a shout-out to Ravindra Jadeja, labeling him as the best all-rounder currently, who holds the top spot in the latest ICC rankings for Test all-rounders.
Ganguly expressed his admiration, saying, “All-time great, all-time great stuff. Getting 500 wickets is no joke. And then you have Jadeja, the best all-rounder at the moment. Doing well with both bat and ball in these conditions.”
Jadeja, after a splendid 87 in Hyderabad, scored his fourth Test century in Rajkot and is the third-highest wicket-taker in India’s Test series against England, grabbing 17 wickets in the first four Tests.
Talking about Kuldeep Yadav, Ganguly noted the spinner’s remarkable improvement and predicted a long innings for him in the Indian team. Kuldeep has taken 12 wickets in three Test matches during India’s series against England.
“I think Kuldeep has come back immensely. He’s improved a lot. And I think with bowlers like R Ashwin and Jadeja, he’s not been overshadowed. He’s made his mark in the series and will continue to play for India for a long time,” added Ganguly.
India aims to finish their five-match Test series against England on a high note in Dharamsala on March 7. The hosts lead 3-1 in the series, securing victories in Vizag, Rajkot, and Ranchi after their loss in Hyderabad.
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