Indian cricket team head coach, Rahul Dravid, heaped praise on off-spinner R Ashwin following his "phenomenal achievement" in Test cricket after he went past Harbhajan Singh's tally of 417 Test wickets.
Dravid called Ashwin "an absolute match-winner" and "a fantastic bowler" for India after the first Test ended in a draw against New Zealand in Kanpur.
He further hailed Ashwin for his performance against New Zealand in the first Test of the ongoing two-match Test series at Green Park, Kanpur, where he snared six wickets for 137 runs.
Ashwin dismissed Tom Latham to claim his 418th Test wicket and go past Harbhajan Singh on the fifth and final day of the first Test in Kanpur, as the off-spinner became the third-highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket, reaching the mark in his 80th match.
He is now only behind Anil Kumble (619) and Kapil Dev (434) in list of highest Test wickets for India.
Dravid said at the post-match media conference in Kanpur: “I think it's a phenomenal achievement. I think you know Harbhajan Singh was a really fine bowler, someone I played a lot of cricket with; terrific bowler for India and what Ashwin has done, to be able to go past him in just 80 Test matches is a phenomenal achievement.”
The coach further added, “Ashwin is one of those guys who has been an absolute match-winner for India, even today you saw on this difficult wicket. The way he pulled us back into the game on that third morning, with that spell of 11 overs, was absolutely phenomenal. And then today just to keep us alive in the game, constantly be threatening on wickets like this is a tribute to his skills and ability.”
The legendary batter also pointed out that Ashwin has grown and evolved into a world-class off-spinner over the years.
He said, “He has just evolved, he has just kept growing. He is one of those guys who keep thinking about the game, keeps changing, keeps evolving, that's why he (has) got where he has.
You don't achieve what Ashwin has achieved without growing and improving and evolving. It is a pleasure to have someone like him in the dressing room and to work (with). I am really happy for him.”
(With PTI Inputs)
