Ravichandran Ashwin Equals Muralitharan’s Record with 11th Player of the Series Award

Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has received his 11th Player of the Series award in Test cricket, equaling the record held by legendary Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan. The accolade was awarded following a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, during which Ashwin showcased an exceptional performance.

In the series, Ashwin claimed 11 wickets and scored a total of 114 runs, significantly contributing to India’s 2-0 series victory. His spectacular bowling performance was highlighted in the second Test at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, where India secured a seven-wicket victory despite rain interruptions over the initial three days. Ashwin’s match figures of 5/95 were instrumental in leading India to triumph.

The 38-year-old all-rounder surpassed former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan regarding wickets taken against Bangladesh in Test matches. Starting the series with 23 wickets compared to Khan’s 31, Ashwin increased his tally to 34 wickets against Bangladesh. This accomplishment also sees him topping the wicket-takers list in the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle with 53 wickets across 10 matches.

Ashwin played a crucial role in India’s performance with the bat as well, especially his gritty innings of 113 in the first test match in Chennai. His efforts rescued India from a precarious situation of 144/6. Following his outstanding century and six-wicket haul (6/88) in the match, he was also named Player of the Match.

After the match, former BCCI chief selector Saba Karim asked Ashwin about his views on winning multiple Player of the Series awards. Ashwin humorously replied, “I think you are making it sound like I am some serial killer, who is planning all these things, which I am not. Honestly, it probably mattered at one stage of my career, but I am well past that and able to accept whatever comes to me as a result.”

Ashwin emphasized his focus on enjoying the game rather than dwelling on accolades, stating, “For me, the greatest joy of playing the game is to be able to walk out to the net the day after or tomorrow and try something new.”

India’s success in the series was further bolstered by robust batting performances despite the rain disruptions, with aggressive strategies enabling them to maintain pressure on Bangladesh. The Indian team’s dominance continues as they remain at the top of the World Test Championship cycle and prepare to face New Zealand in a forthcoming three-match Test series at home.