NEW DELHI: Stranded on 499 Test wickets after the
Vizag Test
,
Ravichandran Ashwin
's wait in joining the exclusive '500 Club' got a bit longer on Monday.
Beginning the second Test at 496 wickets, Ashwin was expected to reach the landmark in this game itself but the veteran off-spinner had a below-par outing with the ball in both the innings.
While Ashwin went wicketless in the first innings, he bagged three in the second.
And the Tom Hartley dismissal, which was reversed to not out, stretched
Ashwin
's wait.
As Ashwin had an unimpressive outing in the second Test, former England skipper
Kevin Pietersen
felt that the India veteran was chasing the '500-wicket' milestone and that in-turn put pressure on him.
"Ashwin was just chasing milestone. That's why he didn't bowl as well as he could have bowled. He did get it right on occasions. I thought he was way more threatening bowling wider outside off-stump round the wicket. I think he bowled over the wicket way too much to the right-handers. He can change bowling over-bowling around-bowling over more," Pietersen told official broadcasters after India's 106-run win over England on Monday.
Pietersen also pointed out once Ashwin manages his 500th wicket, the monkey will be off his shoulders and the offie once again will be at his best in the remainder of the series.
"I'm certainly never going to say that he hasn't got it or the England bowlers have found him out. He is a tremendous bowler and he's got some big breakthroughs. It is about the team, it's not about the individual. He will want one more wicket and when he gets that may you'll see him a lot more relaxed, the shoulder drops and I can just now get on with the game," added the former England batter.
The third Test will begin in Rajkot from February 15.
English (US) ·