R Ashwin’s 6 for 46 against Sri Lanka in the ongoing test at Galle provide his five or more wicket haul on first appearance against Sri Lanka. It was also his fourth five wicket haul against four teams on first appearance. He had captured 6  for 47 in the second innings against West Indies at Delhi in 2011-12, 6 for 31 and 6 for 54 against New Zealand at Hyd-RGS in 2012 and 5 for 87 against Bangladesh at Fatullah in 2015.

 

Ashwin’s feat of capturing five or more wickets on first appearance against four teams makes him just the third bowler in the annals of test cricket to perform such a feat. Others are Saqlain Mushtaq and Waqar Younis – both from Pakistan. The exploits of these three bowlers are listed below. Ashwin is the first Indian bowler to perform such a feat

 

No	Player	Team	Oppn	Venue	Season	FI	SI
1	Ashwin R	Ind	Win	Delhi	2011-12	3-081	6-047
2	Ashwin R	Ind	NZl	Hyd-EGS	2012	6-031	6-054
3	Ashwin R	Ind	Ban	Fatullah	2015	5-087	0-008
4	Ashwin R	Ind	Srl	Galle	2015	6-046
1	Saqlain Mushtaq	Pak	RSA	Rawalpindi	1997	5-139	DNB
2	Saqlain Mushtaq	Pak	Win	Karachi (NS)	1997	5-054	4-026
3	Saqlain Mushtaq	Pak	Ind	Chepauk	1998	5-094	5-093
4	Saqlain Mushtaq	Pak	Eng	Lahore	2000	8-164	1-014
1	Waqar Younis	Pak	Win	Karachi (NS)	1990	5-076	4-044
2	Waqar Younis	Pak	Srl	Sialkot	1991	5-084	2-043
3	Waqar Younis	Pak	Zim	Karachi (DS)	1993	7-091	6-044
4	Waqar Younis	Pak	Ban	Multan	2001	2-025	4-019