Ravichandran Ashwin He has been one of the most loyal servants in Indian cricket for over a decade. During his time with the national team, he was a name synonymous with stability and reliability in the team. However, the veteran's glorious career is highly respected not only among Indian cricket fans but also among legends across the world. One of the giants of international cricket is Muttiah Muralitharanwho recently expressed his interesting opinion on Ashwin's glorious career.
Muralitharan has fond memories of Ashwin's career
The legendary Sri Lankan pacer was asked in an interview with Telecom Asia Sport (telecomasia.net) about Ashwin announcing his retirement from international cricket after the ongoing Gabba Test for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Remembering the times he first saw Ashwin as a young player trying to make his mark, Muralitharan said. “I was at the end of my career when he came on the scene but he struck me as an intelligent young man eager to learn. He asked for advice, asked thoughtful questions, and worked hard to improve himself. It is that drive and hunger that sets him apart.
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Additionally, Muralitharan also spoke about the beginning of Ashwin's career, when he was trying his luck as a batsman, as the legend also pointed out, “You must remember that Ashwin started his career as a batsman, playing spin as a part-time option. He soon realized that the writing was on the wall for his batting aspirations and shifted his focus to bowling. I congratulate him on making this bold pivot and achieving what he has.” Reaching 500 Test wickets is not easy.“
Muralitharan has been a towering figure in international cricket as the only player to have 800 wickets in Test cricket. The Sri Lankan off-spinner has managed to achieve the landmark feat in just 133 Test matches.
A look at Ashwin's impressive statistics in international cricket
When it comes to statistics, Ashwin is one of the most successful Indian players to ever play the game. The Chennai boy has managed to take 537 wickets in Tests, 156 wickets in ODIs and 72 wickets in the T20I format. This makes him the second leading Indian wicket-taker in Test cricket, second only to Anil Kumble. Ashwin was also instrumental in registering 3503 Test bats over 6 centuries.
