Dharamshala, March 7 (IANS): India veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin achieved another milestone in his career when he becomes the 14th Indian player to play 100 Tests.
Ashwin joined an elite list of players with his 100th appearance in Test match for India during the fifth Test against England at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association stadium in Dharamsala on Thursday.
India head coach Rahul Dravid presented a special memento to Ashwin on the occasion of his 100th Test match
During the third Test in Rajkot, Ashwin became only the second Indian bowler after Anil Kumble to clinch 500 Test wickets joining the elite club of bowlers such as Muthiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Kumble, Glenn McGrath, Courtney Walsh and Nathan Lyon.
He also became only the second bowler after Muralidaran to achieve 500 wickets in less than 100 Test matches.
The 37-year-old, who made his Test debut in 2011, claimed 507 Test wickets. He has also scored 3309 runs in the format, including five centuries and 14 fifties, with a batting average of 26.47.
Only Nathan Lyon (527 wickets) has claimed more wickets than him in the format, making him one of the most prolific modern-day Test bowlers.
Ashwin recorded his 35th five-wicket haul in Test cricket in the Ranchi Test, equalling Kumble's record for the most five-fors by an Indian in Test cricket.
India great Sachin Tendulkar, with 200 Test matches, holds the record for most appearances in the format internationally.