Sourav Ganguly backs Ravi Ashwin for higher wicket milestones

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly has backed Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for greatness as the 30-year old still has years of cricket ahead of him. Ashwin recently became the fastest Indian, Asian and the second fastest bowler in the history to 200 Test match wickets.

Claire Grimmett, who played for Australia in the 1940’s was the fastest having taken 36 Tests to do so. Speaking about Ashwin’s 10-wicket haul in the first Test against New Zealand at Kanpur, Ganguly stated that Ashwin was the one who turned the game on its head. The Kiwis had dominated for the most part of the first two days. Dada also went on to add that the Indian pitches were tailor-made for someone with Ashwin’s potential.

“The conditions were tailor-made for Ashwin to bowl on this sort of a wicket. It’s a typical Indian Test match. India was exceptional with the bat in their second innings on a crumbling pitch and the pressure is completely on New Zealand. The game is only going one way… it’s India’s victory, unless and until rain spoils sport,” Ganguly was quoted by India Today as saying.

He also said that Ashwin has age on his side thereby adding that the off-spinner had the potential to pick 400 or perhaps even 500 wickets in his Test career.

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“Ashwin has got all the potential to be right up there alongside Anil Kumble and Kapil Dev as one of India’s best Test bowlers. He is young, he has got lots of cricket left. He has just played 37 Tests and he has got all the potential to get 400 or probably 500 wickets.

“He will play half of those Test matches in India and there will be turning pitches where he is going to be lethal. So, he has got all the opportunity and the talent to get there,” Ganguly said.