Kumble’s 600 could be Ashwin’s next target

That record may look out of reach now because he needs to play probably 150 Tests to reach 800 wickets but as he himself modestly put it at the end of the Nagpur Test, he would be happy to double the tally by the time he ends his career. He must have had Anil Kumble in mind when he looked at the 600-target. 

Ashwin is 31 and the man who held the record for the quickest 300 was Dennis Lillee. The Aussie great was not fond of coming to India with Australia. However, the fact also remains that there were not many Australian tours to India when he was on duty. Lillee was already part of the Kerry Packer party when the Aussies came to India 

in 1976-77. 

In fact, Dennis Lillee must certainly have visited Chennai more number of times for his MRF Pace Foundation commitments during his 25-year stint than the number of Tests he had played for Australia. 

Today’s bowlers have the added burden of bowling in 50over and 20-over internationals unless they are Test specialists. But Ashwin’s strike rate for Tests is amazing considering that he has not had the same success abroad. 

The India off-spinner has taken 216 wickets from 34 Tests at home while his returns abroad are 84 from 20. Former Tamil Nadu left-arm spinner Sunil Subramaniam, who is now with the Indian team as manager, feels it has a lot to do with the standard of world batting now. “Playing quality spin may have deteriorated,” says Sunil, who had mentored Ashwin when he was on his way to representing India. The former TN spinner also feels the rules in the age of technology might have had a say in Ashwin’s amazing strike rate. “LBW off the front foot for a ball pitched in line with the stumps was seldom given in the old days,” explains Sunil. 

However, Sunil does not want to dwell too much on the conditions for the success of Ashwin. “Murali, Ashwin and Shane Warne together with Kumble and Harbhajan are truly world class spinners,” he reasons. 

In fact, Ashwin credits technology for the corrections he could make in his bowling style, so much so that he had the special advantage of reviewing his bowling which his great predecessors never enjoyed. The off-spinner’s main test will come in the next 14 months when India tours South Africa, Australia, England and New Zealand when he would play 15 Tests during the period.