Not Sachin or Kohli: Ashwin is the greatest match winner for India in Tests

While legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli are often hailed as the greatest match-winners in Indian cricket history, one player has quietly but firmly claimed a higher distinction when it comes to India’s dominance in home Tests – Ravichandran Ashwin. With a career spanning 15 years, Ashwin’s contribution to India’s Test victories, especially in home conditions, is unparalleled. On Wednesday, he bid farewell to international cricket, leaving behind a legacy that establishes him not just as one of India’s finest, but as one of the greatest match-winners in the history of Test cricket.

 

Ashwin’s career statistics speak volumes about his impact. Over 106 Test matches, he took 537 wickets, securing his place as the seventh-highest wicket-taker of all time. He stands just behind India’s legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble, who took 619 wickets. Ashwin’s remarkable bowling strike rate of 50.73 is the best among the nine bowlers who have taken over 500 wickets, and his bowling average of 24 ranks third, underscoring his efficiency and consistency. 

Ashwin, a true match-winner for India

 

But Ashwin’s true brilliance lies not just in his personal milestones, but in his contribution to India's Test victories. Out of the 106 Test matches Ashwin played, India won 61 of them. This puts him in an exclusive club, only surpassed by the likes of Tendulkar (72) and Virat Kohli (62) in terms of Test victories. His win percentage of 57.55% is the sixth-highest among players who have featured in over 100 Tests, a remarkable achievement, especially considering the intense competition from players like Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath, and Shane Warne, who played during Australia's dominant era of the 1990s and early 2000s.

 

Highest win % for a player in Tests (Minimum 100 Tests)
Player	Span	Matches	Won	Lost	Draw	Win %
Matthew Hayden	1994-2009	103	71	18	14	68.93
Glenn McGrath	1993-2007	124	84	20	20	67.74
Justin Langer	1993-2007	105	70	17	18	66.67
Ricky Ponting	1995-2012	168	108	31	29	64.29
Shane Warne	1992-2007	145	92	26	27	63.45
R Ashwin	2011-2024	106	61	28	17	57.55
Cheteshwar Pujara	2010-2023	103	58	27	18	56.31

  Delving deeper into Ashwin’s contributions to India’s victories, it’s clear that his impact was often the difference between winning and losing. Of his 537 Test wickets, 374 were claimed in victories – the fifth-highest for any player. He remains the only Indian bowler to claim over 300 wickets in winning causes. His 31 five-wicket hauls in victories is second only to Muttiah Muralitharan’s 41. A remarkable 69.65% of Ashwin's career wickets came in Test victories, placing him fourth in the all-time rankings in that regard. Only McGrath, Lee, and Warne have higher percentages.

 

Most Test fifers for India
Player	Span	Mat	Inns	Balls	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	BBI	Ave	Econ	SR	4	5	10
R Ashwin	2011-2024	106	200	27246	4541	907	12891	537	7/59	24	2.83	50.73	25	37	8
A Kumble	1990-2008	132	236	40850	6808.2	1576	18355	619	10/74	29.65	2.69	65.99	31	35	8
Harbhajan Singh	1998-2015	103	190	28580	4763.2	871	13537	417	8/84	32.46	2.84	68.53	16	25	5
N Kapil Dev	1978-1994	131	227	27740	4623.2	1060	12867	434	9/83	29.64	2.78	63.91	17	23	2
BS Chandrasekhar	1964-1979	58	97	15963	-	584	7199	242	8/79	29.74	2.7	65.96	12	16	2
RA Jadeja	2012-2024	78	147	18233	3038.5	723	7675	319	7/42	24.05	2.52	57.15	13	15	3
BS Bedi	1966-1979	67	118	21364	-	1096	7637	266	7/98	28.71	2.14	80.31	13	14	1
JJ Bumrah	2018-2024	43	83	8250	1375	328	3788	194	6/27	19.52	2.75	42.52	6	12	-
SP Gupte	1951-1961	36	61	11284	1880.4	608	4403	149	9/102	29.55	2.34	75.73	8	12	1
Z Khan	2000-2014	92	165	18785	3130.5	624	10247	311	7/87	32.94	3.27	60.4	15	11	1

 

  Ashwin prowess with the bat

 

Ashwin’s influence wasn’t confined to the ball alone; his batting has played a pivotal role in India’s victories as well. Of his six Test centuries, five led to victories, and the other resulted in a draw. His all-round contributions in victories are a testament to his well-rounded skill set, which few can match in the history of the game.

 

In the context of Indian cricket, Ashwin’s achievements stand tall. His 374 wickets in wins is more than double that of Jacques Kallis (182), a legendary all-rounder. Through his wickets, vital partnerships, and batting contributions, Ashwin has proven time and again that he is, without a doubt, the greatest match-winner India has had in home Tests. His departure from international cricket marks the end of an era, but his legacy as India’s most impactful Test player in the home conditions will be remembered for years to come.