Which bowler became the fastest to reach 250 Test wickets in international cricket history?

Introduction / Context:
This question examines your understanding of bowling records in Test cricket. While many players reach high wicket tallies, doing so in the fewest matches or innings is a mark of exceptional effectiveness. The record for the fastest to 250 Test wickets highlights a bowler who consistently took wickets quickly over his early career.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The milestone is 250 Test wickets.
• Fastest here refers to the fewest number of Test matches required, not calendar time.
• The options include prominent modern bowlers such as Kagiso Rabada, R Ashwin, Tim Southee, Ravindra Jadeja, and Dale Steyn.
• Only one of them held the record for being the quickest to 250 Test wickets in the era relevant to this question.

Concept / Approach:
Ravichandran Ashwin of India reached 250 Test wickets in just 45 Tests, which at the time made him the fastest bowler to that mark in terms of matches played. This achievement reflected his dominance in home conditions and his ability to take wickets against many teams. While other bowlers like Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada also have outstanding strike rates, the specific record for fastest to 250 wickets by matches belonged to R Ashwin when this question was framed.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the phrase fastest to 250 Test wickets, which points to a record based on matches needed to reach the milestone.Step 2: Recall that R Ashwin achieved 250 Test wickets in 45 matches, which was publicised widely in cricket news.Step 3: Check the options and identify R. Ashwin as option B.Step 4: Recognise that while bowlers like Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada also took wickets quickly, they did not surpass this specific record in the relevant period.

Verification / Alternative check:

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
• K. Rabada is a highly successful South African fast bowler with an excellent strike rate, but he did not hold the record for fastest to 250 wickets in terms of matches in the context of this question.
• T. G. Southee is an effective swing bowler from New Zealand, yet he is not the record holder for this specific milestone.
• Jadeja, although a key Indian all rounder, reached his wicket milestones later than Ashwin.
• Dale Steyn is one of the greatest fast bowlers and reached 250 wickets very quickly, but Ashwin surpassed or matched records in terms of matches in this particular statistic.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse different bowling records such as fastest to 300 wickets, best strike rate, or most five wicket hauls. Some may instinctively choose Dale Steyn or Kagiso Rabada because of their reputations for pace and aggression. Others may simply pick their favourite bowler. To avoid these errors, it helps to associate Ashwin specifically with rapid progress to major wicket milestones, especially in Tests played in Indian conditions.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is R. Ashwin, who became the fastest bowler to reach 250 Test wickets in terms of matches played in the context of this question.