Ravichandran Ashwin won yet another Man of the Series award as India beat England by an innings and 25 runs in the fourth and fifth Test to take the series 3-1 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Saturday.
Highlights | Scorecard | News
This was his eighth Man of the Series award since making his Test debut in 2011 against the West Indies in a home series. He has played 78 matches in 30 Test series.
Ashwin scored 181 in four innings, including a magnificent century in Chennai, to end the series as the fifth-highest scorer. But the all-rounder was top wicket-taker with 32 scalps, five more than second-placed Axar Patel (27), in 188.1 overs.
Advertisement
Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan remained the greatest match-winner in Test cricket with 11 Man of the Series awards in 133 matches (61 series). South Africa's Jaques Kallis is second with nine such awards in 166 matches (61 series).
Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan is third on the list, ahead of Ashwin, with eight Man of the Series awards in 88 matches (28 series). Richard Hadlee of New Zealand and Shane Warne of Australia also have eight Man of the Series awards each. The next Indian on the list is former opener Virender Sehwag at 18th place with five Man of the Series awards.
Advertisement
Ashwin, 34, picked his first Man of the Series award against the Windies in his debut outing. His other awards came against New Zealand in 2012-13, against Australia in 2012-2013 -- bath at home. It was followed by series-winning performances in Sri Lanka in 2015-16, against South Africa in 2015-16, Windies in 2016-17 and the Kiwis in 2016-17 at home.
For the record, Only Five cricketers have achieved the double of 30 plus wickets and a Century in a series.
Ashwin is the only cricketer to achieve the double of 30 wickets and century in a four-match Test series. Khan (six matches), Ian Botham (six) and Richie Benaud (5) of England and George Giffen (5) of Australia are the others to complete 30-wicket and century feat in a series.
