Brad Hogg Backs Ravichandran Ashwin To Surpass Muttiah Muralitharan’s Record 800 Test Scalps

May 28, 2021 at 4:27 PM

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Brad Hogg Backs Ravichandran Ashwin To Surpass Muttiah Muralitharan’s Record 800 Test Scalps

Brad Hogg has backed veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to surpass Muttiah Muralitharan’s record of 800 Test scalps if he continues to pick up wickets at the current rate.

Muttiah Muralitharan’s world record of 800 Test wickets is a rare feat but not one that may last forever, reckons Brad Hogg. The former Australia wrist-spinner has backed veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to surpass Muttiah Muralitharan’s record if he continues to pick up wickets at the current rate.

Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Brad Hogg Reckons Ravichandran Ashwin May Break Muttiah Muralitharan’s Record Of Maximum 800 Test Wickets

Brad Hogg feels Ravichandran Ashwin, 34, who can carry on for another eight years in Tests, is very much capable of going past 600 Test wickets, and if things work in his favour, breaking Muttiah Muralitharan’s record is not something Hogg feels is impossible.

“I think he will probably play till 42 in Tests. I think his batting might drop off but he’ll be more lethal with the ball by the time passing by. I can see him pushing 600+ Test wickets at least. He might even break Muttiah Muralitharan’s record (of 800 Test wickets) as well,” Hogg told Timesnownews.com.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Muttiah Muralitharan. (Getty Images)
Ravichandran Ashwin and Muttiah Muralitharan. (Getty Images)

Ravichandran Ashwin has played 78 Test matches for India in which he’s picked up 409 wickets at an average of 24.69. Currently, he is placed fourth in the list of India’s leading wicket-takers behind Anil Kumble, Kapil Dev, and Harbhajan Singh.

Anil Kumble currently holds the record for most wickets by an Indian in Test (619 in 132 matches). Overall, Ravichandran Ashwin is currently the fourth-highest wicket-taker for India, behind Anil Kumble, former Indian captain Kapil Dev (434 wickets), and Harbhajan Singh (417 wickets).

Brad Hogg: Ravichandran Ashwin Is Adaptable And Hungry For Success Becoming Successful Recently

Furthermore, he has picked as many as 30 five-wicket hauls and seven ten-wicket hauls in a match, making him one of the best spinners to ever play the game and arguably the greatest finger spinner of the modern era. One of the many reasons behind Ravichandran Ashwin’s success, Brad Hogg reckons is how he has mastered the art of bowling all around the world.

“The reason why I think he’s so good because he is adaptable and his hunger of continuing to grow up as a cricketer. He also played county cricket to get used to England conditions and that’s how he has become so successful especially in recent years,” Hogg added.

Brad Hogg (PTI Photo)
Brad Hogg (PTI Photo)

On the other hand, Ravichandran Ashwin has 409 wickets from 78 Tests and Brad Hogg feels should the 34-year-old manage to play in his early 40s, the record would be his for the taking.

Muttiah Muralitharan is widely regarded as one of the greatest spinners to have played the game and he took a whopping 800 wickets during his Test career which is the most by any in the format’s rich history. Shane Warne, another legend of the game, is the second in the list with 708 wickets with Anil Kumble completing the top-three having taken 619 scalps.

In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy down under in 2020/21, Ravichandran Ashwin played the innings of his life to rescue India from the jaws of defeat. In the third Test at Sydney, India was 272/5, while chasing 407, when the spin all-rounder joined hands with Hanuma Vihari, who was suffering from a hamstring injury, and the duo batted for 43 overs, as the spinner, who was himself suffering from serious back spasm, played cautiously and scored 39 runs off 128 deliveries to draw the third Test match.

In the home series against England, Ravichandran Ashwin scored his 5th Test ton on a turning track of Chepauk. In the same series, he picked up his 400th wicket in Test matches and finished the series with 32 wickets to get the player of the series award.

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