Ravichandran Ashwin was the man of the series vs South Africa © AFP
Ravichandran Ashwin was the man of the series vs South Africa © AFP

As expected, Ravichandran Ashwin was named Man of the Series in the Gandhi-Mandela Trophy for Freedom Series 2015-16 between India and South Africa. Ashwin took 31 wickets at an astonishing 11.12 with 4 five-wicket hauls and a ten-wicket haul; in the third Test in Nagpur alone, he claimed 12 for 98, and was named Man of the Match. In the process Ashwin won his fifth Man of the Series award in his 12th series and after 32 Tests. This is also his second Man of the Series award in as many Tests. Surprisingly, Ashwin has been named Man of the Match only 4 times. Twice in his career (India vs Australia in India, 2012-13 and India vs Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka, 2015) has he won Man of the Series Awards without being named Man of the Match in any of the Tests in the series. Full Cricket Scorecard: India vs South Africa 2015 4th Test at Delhi

Ashwin thus continues to be the part of a bizarre list, one that involves people with more Man of the Series than Man of the Match Awards. Ashwin joins Andrew Strauss, the only other one on the list with 5 Man of the Series Awards.

More Man of the Series than Man of the Match Awards (Tests):

Player

Tests

Man of the Match (MoM)

Man of the Series (MoS)

MoS-MoM

Andrew Strauss

100

2

5

3

Heath Streak

65

1

4

3

Joel Garner

58

0

2

2

Yasir Shah

12

0

2

2

Ravichandran Ashwin

32

4

5

1

Saeed Ajmal

35

2

3

1

Kemar Roach

34

1

2

1

Stephen Boock

30

0

1

1

Ravi Bopara

13

0

1

1

Alistair Campbell

60

0

1

1

John Edrich

77

0

1

1

Fidel Edwards

55

0

1

1

Prasanna Jayawardene

58

0

1

1

Alan Knott

95

0

1

1

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

12

0

1

1

Ajantha Mendis

19

0

1

1

Moin Khan

69

0

1

1

Dilruwan Perera

9

0

1

1

Robiul Islam

9

0

1

1

Chris Rogers

25

0

1

1

Tim Southee

44

0

1

1

Ross Taylor

57

0

1

1

Derek Underwood

86

0

1

1

It must be remembered that these awards became regular only since 1980s.

Note:

– Joel Garner and Yasir Shah have won two Man of the Series Awards each without winning a Man of the Match award. Yasir has played only 5 series (and 12 Tests) till now. Full Cricket Updates: India vs South Africa 2015 4th Test, Day 5 at Delhi

– The opposite record (most Man of the Match Awards without being named Man of the Series) lies with Allan Border. His record of 11 awards is significantly ahead of Mark Waugh and Sunil Gavaskar (5 each), the next names on the list.