Ashwin and Jadeja overtake Kumble-Harbhajan as most successful bowling pair for India in Tests

NEW DELHI: The spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja became the most successful bowling pair for India in Test cricket. During the opening day of the first Test against England in Hyderabad on Thursday, they scalped four wickets together, surpassing the legendary partnership of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh.Scorecard: IND vs ENG, 1st TestAshwin and Jadeja now boast a remarkable record of 504* wickets in 50 Tests, surpassing the previous milestone of 501 wickets in 54 Tests held by the iconic Kumble-Harbhajan duo. This remarkable feat solidifies their place as one of the most prolific bowling combinations in Indian cricket history.Harbhajan Singh and pacer Zaheer Khan occupy the third spot with 474 wickets in 59 Tests. Overall, the list is led by England's pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who have accumulated a staggering 1039 wickets in 138 matches, followed by Australian legends Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath with 1001 wickets in 104 Tests. In the ongoing Test match in Hyderabad, Ashwin and Jadeja combined forces to dent England's progress after an initial aggressive start by the visitors. England, having opted for the "Bazball" approach, reached 108/3 at lunch, with Joe Root (18) and Jonny Bairstow (32) at the crease, providing stability after losing three wickets in quick succession.But soon after lunch break, Axar Patel and Jadeja removed both the batter to reduce them to 125/5. England's bold strategy includes three specialist spinners, and with Root contributing as a part-time bowler, Mark Wood stands as their sole fast bowler in the five-match series. The Ashwin-Jadeja partnership is expected to play a pivotal role as the Test match progresses, setting the stage for an intriguing battle between bat and ball.