250th Test wicket: Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim signs 'Milestone Match ball' for R Ashwin

New Delhi: Ravichandran Ashwin became the fastest player to scalp 250 Test wickets, breaking Dennis Lillee's record. The Tamil Nadu-born off-spinner claimed Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim's wicket to reach the landmark and post-match took his autograph on the ball as memorabilia for the achievement.

Ashwin reached the milestone in his 45th Test, three less than former Australia fast bowler Dennis Lillee, who took 48. (IND vs BAN - As it happened...)

Rahim was Ashwin's 250th victim in his 45th Test match. Ashwin dismissed the opposition captain who tried playing a sweep and was caught down the leg-side by Wriddhiman Saha.

'Yes, Ashwin came upto me with match ball and asked me to autograph it as I was his 250th victim. I heard that he has created a world record surpassing Dennis Lillee,' Rahim told PTI on the sidelines of the media conference.

Ashwin, later said that he was relieved to have the monkey off his back.

“Good to have the record out of the way,” he said after the end of day’s play.

“Today was one of those days when I started enjoying my spell right from the start. It’s going to be an interesting day tomorrow. The wicket is not giving too much help for the spinners, we have to be very very patient in the morning session,” Ashwin said.

“It was a delight to bowl in the second innings. I was a little rusty in the first innings, got into a better rhythm in the second innings straightaway, bowling with the new ball.”

It's not only Ashwin but former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is also a souvenir lover. Dhoni collects at least one match stump after every Indian victory.

However since the time LED stumps in ODIs came into vogue, Dhoni has not been allowed to take them as they are too costly.

(With PTI inputs)