Published 20:52 IST, February 14th 2021
Ashwin calls breaking Harbhajan's record 'special'; earns response from cricketer
Ashwin's interview ultimately earned a response from Harbhajan Singh who congratulated him, wishing many more records for him 'far bigger than this.'
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Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin who scored his second consecutive fifer in the ongoing India Vs England Test series expressed his joy after surpassing former offie Harbhajan Singh's Test wicket tally, saying that he had 'never imagined' that he would once break Bhajji's record, whom he would once try to emulate.
"When I was watching the 2001 series where Bhajji was playing, I did not even imagine that I would go on to become an off-spinner for the country. I was still a batsman for my state, trying to accelerate a career towards batting and playing for the country. I was not even sure that I was going to become a player for the India cricket team," Ashwin said during a post-match press conference.
"A lot of my teammates from that generation used to make fun of me because I used to bowl like Bhajji and I used to try to bowl like him. From there on to actually break a record of something that he posses is something incredibly special. I didn't know it but now that I know it, I do feel happy," he added.
Ashwin's interview ultimately earned a response from Harbhajan Singh who congratulated him, wishing many more records for him 'far bigger than this.' Check out his tweet.
You are a champion @ashwinravi99 I wish you many more records far bigger than this.. keep it up.. More power to you brother 🤝 God bless https://t.co/bGd5kUAmnD
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) February 14, 2021
Ashwin bags another fifer
Bowling from his home ground- the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Ravichandran Ashwin recorded his second consecutive fifer after he bowled out the likes of opener Dom Sibley, number three batsman Dan Lawrence, middle-order batsman Ben Stokes and tail-enders Olly Stone, and Stuart Broad.
He had previously picked up nine scalps at the very same venue in the previous Test which also included a six-wicket haul. With this, the veteran spinner took his number of wickets in Test cricket in India to 268, surpassing Harbhajan's tally of 265 wickets. He is now only behind former Indian skipper Anil Kumble, who heads the list with 350 wickets.
20:52 IST, February 14th 2021