Ravichandran Ashwin achieved a rare milestone on Monday when he became the first spinner in over a century to pick up a wicket off the first ball of an innings in Test cricket. He dismissed England’s opener Rory Burns for a golden duck in the second innings of the first Test match at Chennai.
Ashwin had pitched it just around the off at a good length to clinch a thick outside-edge of the bat and Ajinkya Rahane standing at first slip made no mistake to latch on to it.
ICYMI - Ashwin's first ball strike in the 2nd innings@ashwinravi99 was given the new ball in the 2nd innings and he struck in his very first ball. Beautiful delivery to get Burns caught at slip.
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 8, 2021
📽️📽️https://t.co/CV8ad328nb #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/JKvBoNVaOo
England’s Bobby Peel was the first spinner to have a similar feat that came in 1888 at Old Trafford when he dismissed Australia’s Alec Bannerman. The last time a spinner got a wicket off the first ball of an innings was in 1907 when South Africa's Bert Vogler picked up England’s Tom Hayward at the Oval.
Ashwin, on Monday, went on to return figures of 6-61 which included scalps of Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Dom Bess, Jofra Archer and James Anderson.
Watch all of his six wickets below:
