The 30-year-old became just the fourth player to notch five 10-wicket hauls in fewer than 50 Tests with his match-winning effort against New Zealand
Ashwin's 10 puts him in select company
Ravichandran Ashwin has joined an exclusive club of just 18 bowlers to have claimed five or more 10-wicket hauls in Test history.
And Ashwin, who ripped through New Zealand in Kanpur to help India to a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, is one of just four in that group to have achieved the feat in fewer than 50 Tests.
The off-spinner, playing just his 37th match, finished with match figures of 10-225 in another dominant display on home soil, ensuring India's victory in their 500th Test match.
The only others to have taken five-plus 10-wicket hauls in fewer than 50 Tests are England's turn-of-the-century pair George Lohmann (five in his first 16 Tests) and Sydney Barnes (seven in 27) and Australian leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett (seven in 37), whose record Ashwin fell one match short of on day four when he claimed his 200th Test wicket.
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Four of Ashwin's five bags of 10 have come in India, the exception coming against Sri Lanka in Galle last year, while 14 of his 19 five-wicket hauls have come on home soil.
Only one Indian – prolific leg-spinner and current coach Anil Kumble with eight – has taken more 10-wicket hauls in Test cricket, while Ashwin's fellow off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has also taken five.
Sri Lanka legend Muthiah Muralidaran is well out in front on the overall list, claiming 22 in his record-breaking career.
Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja – who claimed man of the match in Kanpur with six wickets and vital runs with the bat – were earmarked before the Test as the danger men for the visiting Black Caps with their phenomenal strike-rates on home soil.
Ashwin, 30, improved his strike-rate in India to a wicket every 45.9 deliveries, with 136 of his 203 wickets coming in his home country.
"He's been outstanding for the Indian team but if you see all the impact players in the world, he comes in the top three-four easily," India captain Virat Kohli said after the match.
"There are quite a few players making big impact for their respective sides. Especially bowlers. Bowlers are the ones I feel that win you Test matches and Ashwin is one of them."
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Ashwin, who also contributed with a valuable 40 in India's first innings score of 318, has been the team's go-to man in recent times with both bat and ball.
On the recent tour of the West Indies, he scored two centuries as well as taking 17 wickets.
"It's priceless to have a cricketer like Ashwin in your Test team. He gives balance with both bat and ball," Kohli added.
"He's a very keen thinker of the game. He likes to talk cricket. He understands the game very well. Very smart cricketer, very intelligent."
Most 10-wicket hauls in Tests:
Muthiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka) - 22 in 133 matches
Shane Warne (Australia) - 10 in 145
Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) - 9 in 86
Anil Kumble (India) - 8 in 132
Sid Barnes (England) - 7 in 27
Clarrie Grimmett (AUS) - 7 in 37
Dennis Lillee (Australia) - 7 in 70
Imran Khan (Pakistan) - 6 in 88
Ranaga Herath (Sri Lanka) - 6 in 73
Derek Underwood (England) - 6 in 86
George Lohmann (England) - 5 in 18
Ravi Ashwin (India) - 5 in 37
Alec Bedser (England) - 5 in 51
Waqar Younis (Pakistan) - 5 in 87
Abdul Qadir (Pakistan) - 5 in 67
Dale Steyn (South Africa) - 5 in 84
Wasim Akram (Pakistan) - 5 in 104
Harbhajan Singh (India) - 5 in 103