New Delhi: Ravichandran Ashwin has etched his name in history by becoming the first player to retire with a unique distinction. Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara are expected to join him in this exclusive club. Ashwin, who played 106 Tests for India, took 537 wickets during his illustrious career.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirement from international cricket marks the end of an era, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest Test cricketers of all time. With 537 wickets, he finishes as the 7th highest wicket-taker in history and second among Indians, only behind Anil Kumble.
Having played 106 Test matches for India, Ravichandran Ashwin is part of the exclusive 100 Test club. In the 147-year history of Test cricket, only 78 players have reached this milestone, with Ashwin being one of just 12 Indians to achieve this rare feat.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s Rare ‘Pakistan Feat’
Ravichandran Ashwin has made history as the first cricketer to retire after playing over 100 Tests for his country without ever facing Pakistan. Of the 78 players with 100 Test appearances, five are from Pakistan, while 70 have faced the Asian giants at least once in red-ball cricket.
Apart from Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli are the only players to have played more than 100 Test matches without facing Pakistan. In March 2022, Kohli became the first to join this exclusive club without ever playing against India’s arch-rivals.
The future of India-Pakistan Test cricket: Unlikely in the near future
With a Test match between India and Pakistan unlikely in the near future, both Kohli and Pujara are expected to join Ashwin in achieving this rare distinction when they eventually retire from Test cricket. While Kohli remains a key player for India, Pujara has not featured for the national team since June 2023.
For those unversed, India and Pakistan have not played a Test match against each other since 2007. Following Pakistan’s tour of India in 2007-08, there has been no bilateral cricket between the two nations, except for a brief white-ball series in 2012-13. Over the last 12 years, India and Pakistan have only met in ICC or ACC events.
World Test Championship: The last hope for India-Pakistan Test matches
The only realistic prospect of a Test match between India and Pakistan is if both teams qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. While India reached the summit clashes in both 2021 and 2023 and is still in the race for the 2025 final, Pakistan has failed to finish in the top two in any of the three editions so far.
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