First Time In 100 Years: Ashwin Claims Unique Feat During India vs. England Test

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed a special Test record Monday. The Indian bowling all-rounder became only the third spinner to pick a wicket off the first ball of a Test innings in as long as 100 years.

Ashwin joined an elite club when he dismissed opening batsman Rory Burns off the first ball of England's second innings on Day Four of the ongoing Test match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

A spinner bagged a wicket off the opening delivery of an innings for the first time in 1888 when England’s left-arm spinner Bobby Peel had dismissed Australia’s Alex Bannerman off the first ball of the second innings in the third Test at the Old Trafford during the Ashes. The feat was replicated in 1907 when South Africa’s Bert Vogler dismissed England’s Tom Hayward at the Oval.

On Monday, Ashwin was handed the new ball in the second innings and the off-spinner justified the faith shown in him by his skipper Virat Kohli. While England opener Burns moved forward to defend, the ball spun away due to some extra bounce, only to be edged into the safe hands of India's Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane at slips.

In the first innings, Ashwin had bagged figures of 3 for 146, including wickets of Burns, Ollie Pope and James Anderson. During his spell, Ashwin bowled his maiden no-ball of his Test career. Before that, Ashwin had gone more than 20,600 balls without overstepping in the longest format. His magnificent streak came to an end in the 137th over before he bowled a second no-ball nearly 40 overs later.

England won the toss and put up 578 runs in the first innings before they bowled the hosts out for 337 runs. With a lead of 241 runs, Joe Root and Co. decided not to enforce the follow on and instead chose to bat again Monday. With the dismissal of Burns off the very first delivery of their second innings, England were off to a poor start. The pair of Dominic Sibley and Daniel Lawrence put up 32 runs for the second wicket before the former became Ashwin's second scalp of the day.

In the ongoing first Test, Ashwin is currently the lead wicket-taker with five wickets to his name ahead of English spinner Dom Bess with four wickets and Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah with three wickets.