'The magician, the spin wizard' - Fans elated as veteran India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin completes 500 Test wickets, becomes 2nd fastest to achieve this milestone

The veteran Indian all-rounder and the modern-day spin legend, Ravichandran Ashwin achieved a big milestone in the ongoing third Test of the five-match series against England. Ashwin completed his 500 wickets in Test cricket by dismissing the England opener Zak Crawley on the second day of the match.

With this achievement, Ashwin has also become the fastest Indian bowler to pick 500 Test wickets in terms of both matches played and the balls bowled. Apart from that, he has also become the second fastest international bowler to achieve this massive milestone of 500 Test wickets, just after the former legendary Sri Lanka spinner Muthiah Muralitharan.

England hold a strong position after India’s 436 in the first innings

Speaking of the action of the ongoing third Test between India and England, the visitors have started batting in their first innings and have scored 140 runs for the loss of 1 wicket in 25.3 overs, with Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope there in the middle.

Earlier in the first innings, the hosts India posted a big total of 445 runs after recovering from a miserable start when they had lost 3 wickets just at the score of 33 runs. But then came an amazing partnership of 204 runs for the fourth wicket between skipper Rohit Sharma and star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Both the batters smashed crucial centuries for India, alongside a fiery 62-run knock played by the star debutant Sarfaraz Khan. Apart from that, the lower-order partnership between Ravichandran Ashwin and wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel also helped India.

Coming back to Ashwin, achieved this feat of 500 Test wickets in the 98th match of his Test career; earlier former Sri Lanka legend Muthiah Muralitharan completed the 500 wickets in 87 Test matches. The fans are also overjoyed after this massive achievement for the modern-day Indian bowling legend. They took to X (formerly Twitter) to devise the praising remarks for the 37-year-old.

Here's how fans reacted to Ravichandran Ashwin completing 500 Test wickets:

500* 🤭

Legendary stuff, Ash Anna. Congratulations @ashwinravi99 👏🏻🇮🇳#Ashwin #INDvsENGTest #INDvsENG https://t.co/qtjGjL0PBo

— Aarushi Joshi (@Aarushijoshii) February 16, 2024

Ash Anna Goat Of Test Cricket🐐#INDvsENGTest #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/6pxK5peoJZ

— Cricholics (@WeCrickholics) February 16, 2024

Ash Anna urf Ravi Ashwin is 2nd fastest International Cricketer to reached 500 test wicket milestone

87 - Muthiah Muralitharan 🇱🇰
98 - R ASHWIN 🇮🇳 (today)
105 - Anil Kumble 🇮🇳
108 - Shane Warne 🇦🇺
110 - Glenn McGrath 🇦🇺
123 - Nathan Lyon 🇦🇺
129 - Courtney Walsh 🏝️
129 - James… pic.twitter.com/THO3lHyHbE

— Adhirajsinh Jadeja AJ 🇮🇳 (@AdhirajHJadeja) February 16, 2024

500 wickets in this format is massive, congratulations Ash anna loveyouu

— lord perceval 🪩 (@margheritaxlub) February 16, 2024

Virat kohli of Bowling department.
Congratulations Ash Anna for 500 test wickets 💐 #INDvsENGTest #RavichandranAshwin pic.twitter.com/7hAEaUYA8c

— Prashant I 🇮🇳 (@_PrashantSpeaks) February 16, 2024

Crawley is the lucky 500th shikaar🤭 Congrats Ash Anna🔥👏🏻👏🏻

— ᒨ𝛼𝕪𝛼 (@jayarythm11) February 16, 2024

Ash Anna🔥🔥👏👏#INDvsENGTest

— scranton strangler (@ka45te) February 16, 2024

500 Test Wickets for INDIA.

Congratulations ASH Anna......👏🏏💐🎉💐🏏👏 pic.twitter.com/rDUEX0oHH9

— kunal kishore rana (@kunalkishoreran) February 16, 2024

Most wickets for India in Test cricket:

Anil Kumble - 619

Ravichandran Ashwin - 500*

Ashwin scripted history at Rajkot. 🇮🇳

What a bowler Ash Anna 🫡

#INDvENG #Ashwin pic.twitter.com/alBLXZ5iyh

— Rajan pandit (@jaima7017) February 16, 2024

Ash Anna you beauty achieved 500 test wickets🔥🔥💯👏 milestone created by legend spinner 🐐#INDvENG #Ashwin pic.twitter.com/jq1YCzuiAO

— Rajan pandit (@jaima7017) February 16, 2024

The Man. The Myth. The Legend. The Ash Anna Moment.
Legend 💙#GOAT
Ravi Ashwin is the fastest Indian in Test cricket to:
50 wickets, 100 wickets, 150 wickets, 200 wickets, 250 wickets, 300 wickets, 350 wickets, 400 wickets, 450 wickets and now 500 wickets. 🐐#RavichandranAshwin pic.twitter.com/xT5TxMmb6y

— 𝑅𝓊𝒸𝒽𝒾 𝒮𝒾𝓃𝑔𝒽 𝑅𝒶𝒿𝓅𝓊𝓉✨💙 RSR (@Ruchisingh4599) February 16, 2024