With the fall of Charith Asalanka’s wicket in Sri Lanka’s second innings of the Mohali Test on Sunday, Ashwin Ravichandran became India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket.

Asalanka’s wicket was Ashwin’s 435th, taking him past legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev’s tally of 434. Ashwin now only trails former leg-spinner Anil Kumble’s 619 wickets.

The 35-year-old from Chennai reached his tally much faster than Dev did. Ashwin is currently playing his 85th Test for India, while Dev took 127 Tests to reach his mark, which was once the world record.

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Ashwin is now ninth in the overall list of most wickets taken in Test cricket. He trails the likes of Muthiah Muralidaran (800), Shane Warne (708), and James Anderson (640) – the top 3.

However, he is third among currently active players, behind just Anderson and Stuart Broad (537).

Most wickets for India in men's Test cricket

Player Span Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 5 10
A Kumble 1990-2008 132 236 40850 18355 619 10/74 14/149 29.65 2.69 65.9 35 8
R Ashwin 2011-2022 85* 160 22875 10572 435 7/59 13/140 24.30 2.77 52.5 30 7
N Kapil Dev 1978-1994 131 227 27740 12867 434 9/83 11/146 29.64 2.78 63.9 23 2
Harbhajan Singh 1998-2015 103 190 28580 13537 417 8/84 15/217 32.46 2.84 68.5 25 5
I Sharma 2007-2021 105 188 19160 10078 311 7/74 10/108 32.40 3.15 61.6 11 1
Z Khan 2000-2014 92 165 18785 10247 311 7/87 10/149 32.94 3.27 60.4 11 1
BS Bedi 1966-1979 67 118 21364 7637 266 7/98 10/194 28.71 2.14 80.3 14 1
BS Chandrasekhar 1964-1979 58 97 15963 7199 242 8/79 12/104 29.74 2.70 65.9 16 2
RA Jadeja 2012-2022 58* 110 14459 5838 240 7/48 10/154 24.32 2.42 60.2 10 1
J Srinath 1991-2002 67 121 15104 7196 236 8/86 13/132 30.49 2.85 64.0 10 1
Mohammed Shami 2013-2022 58* 110 10515 5721 211 6/56 9/118 27.11 3.26 49.8 6 0
Courtesy ESPNcricinfo

Most wickets in men's Test cricket

Player Span Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 5 10
M Muralitharan (ICC/SL) 1992-2010 133 230 44039 18180 800 9/51 16/220 22.72 2.47 55.0 67 22
SK Warne (AUS) 1992-2007 145 273 40705 17995 708 8/71 12/128 25.41 2.65 57.4 37 10
JM Anderson (ENG) 2003-2022 169 314 36396 17014 640 7/42 11/71 26.58 2.80 56.8 31 3
A Kumble (INDIA) 1990-2008 132 236 40850 18355 619 10/74 14/149 29.65 2.69 65.9 35 8
GD McGrath (AUS) 1993-2007 124 243 29248 12186 563 8/24 10/27 21.64 2.49 51.9 29 3
SCJ Broad (ENG) 2007-2022 152 280 30575 14932 537 8/15 11/121 27.80 2.93 56.9 19 3
CA Walsh (WI) 1984-2001 132 242 30019 12688 519 7/37 13/55 24.44 2.53 57.8 22 3
DW Steyn (SA) 2004-2019 93 171 18608 10077 439 7/51 11/60 22.95 3.24 42.3 26 5
R Ashwin (INDIA) 2011-2022 85* 160 22871 10572 435 7/59 13/140 24.30 2.77 52.5 30 7
N Kapil Dev (INDIA) 1978-1994 131 227 27740 12867 434 9/83 11/146 29.64 2.78 63.9
Courtesy ESPNcricinfo