India, with its cricket-loving population of over 1.5 billion, has produced many talented cricketers. Representing the country in Test cricket is a prestigious achievement. Among these, holding the record for most Test wickets for India is a significant milestone. Since its Test debut in 1932, India has produced legendary bowlers who are not only India’s highest wicket-takers in Tests but also rank among the top 30 in Test history. Here’s a list of India’s leading wicket-takers in Test cricket
List of 10 Indian Test Bowlers with Most Wickets
| Rank | Player | Span | Matches | Innings | Balls | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Best Bowling | Average | 5-Wicket Hauls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anil Kumble | 1990-2008 | 132 | 236 | 40,850 | 1,576 | 18,355 | 619 | 10/74 | 29.65 | 35 |
| 2 | Ravichandran Ashwin | 2011-2024 | 100 | 189 | 26,166 | 889 | 12,255 | 516 | 7/59 | 23.75 | 36 |
| 3 | Kapil Dev | 1978-1994 | 131 | 227 | 27,740 | 1,060 | 12,867 | 434 | 9/83 | 29.64 | 23 |
| 4 | Harbhajan Singh | 1998-2015 | 103 | 190 | 28,580 | 871 | 13,537 | 417 | 8/84 | 32.46 | 25 |
| 5 | Ishant Sharma | 2007-2021 | 105 | 188 | 19,160 | 640 | 10,078 | 311 | 7/74 | 32.40 | 11 |
| 6 | Zaheer Khan | 2000-2014 | 92 | 165 | 18,785 | 624 | 10,247 | 311 | 7/87 | 32.94 | 11 |
| 7 | Ravindra Jadeja | 2012-2024 | 72 | 136 | 17,233 | 706 | 7,096 | 294 | 7/42 | 24.13 | 13 |
| 8 | Bishan Singh Bedi | 1966-1979 | 67 | 118 | 21,364 | 1,096 | 7,637 | 266 | 7/98 | 28.71 | 14 |
| 9 | Bhagwat Chandrasekhar | 1964-1979 | 58 | 97 | 15,963 | 584 | 7,199 | 242 | 8/79 | 29.74 | 16 |
| 10 | Javagal Srinath | 1991-2002 | 67 | 121 | 15,104 | 599 | 7,196 | 236 | 8/86 | 30.49 | 10 |
1. Anil Kumble
Anil Kumble, with 619 wickets in 132 Test matches, holds the record for the most Test wickets for India. His remarkable career included 31 four-wicket hauls and 35 five-wicket hauls. One of his most iconic moments came in 1999 when he took all 10 wickets in a single innings against Pakistan, becoming just the second bowler after Jim Laker to do so.
Kumble also holds the record for the most balls bowled by an Indian in Test cricket (40,850). His resilience was showcased in 2002 when he bowled 14 overs with a broken jaw, dismissing Brian Lara in Antigua.
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2. Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin, with the most test wickets for India, has taken 516 wickets in 100 matches since his debut in 2011. He also scored over 3,000 runs with five centuries. In March 2024, during his 100th Test, Ashwin set a record for the most five-wicket hauls (36) for India. He became the fastest bowler to reach 300 wickets in terms of innings and is currently India’s highest-ranked bowler in the ICC Test rankings. Ashwin is also the only Indian to score a century and take a five-wicket haul in the same Test three times.
3. Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev, India’s first World Cup-winning captain, is widely regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders in cricket. He played 131 Tests from 1978 to 1994, amassing 434 wickets, including 23 five-wicket hauls. At the time of his retirement, he was the highest wicket-taker in Tests for India, surpassing Richard Hadlee’s record. His remarkable figures of 9/83 against the West Indies in 1983 remain the best by an Indian captain. Kapil also holds the distinction of being the only Test player to achieve the rare feat of over 400 wickets and more than 5,000 runs, earning him the title of most test wickets for India.
4. Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh ranks next in the most test wickets for India, with 417 wickets in 103 Tests from 1998 to 2015. He maintained a bowling average of 32.46 and was the first Indian off-spinner to reach 400 Test wickets, with 25 five-wicket hauls and five 10-wicket hauls.
A highlight of his career came in 2001, when he became the first Indian to take a Test hat-trick against Australia. His victims Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, and Shane Warne added to his legacy in most test wickets for India.
Singh’s career-best performance of 8/84 came in the same series, further solidifying his place among India’s top wicket-takers.
5. Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan, with 311 wickets in 92 Test matches, ranks sixth for most test wickets for India. Known for his ability to move the ball both ways, he dismissed 237 left-handed batsmen, a record surpassed only by Muttiah Muralitharan and Shaun Pollock. A key player in India’s 2011 World Cup win, Khan took 21 wickets in nine matches. Despite battling injuries throughout his career, he retired in 2015 with 610 international wickets and was awarded the Arjuna Award and Padma Shri.
6. Ishant Sharma
Ishant Sharma, with 311 wickets in 105 Test matches, holds a prominent place in the record for most test wickets for India. His fastest delivery in Tests, 152.2 kmph to Ricky Ponting in 2011, marked a key moment in his career. That year, he also became the fifth youngest to reach 100 Test wickets.
Sharma’s best spell was 7/74 against England at Lord’s in 2014, ending India’s 28-year wait for a Test win there. He has also played 80 ODIs and 14 T20Is, taking 123 wickets, further cementing his legacy as one of India’s top wicket-takers across formats.
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7. Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja, ranked seventh for most test wickets for India, has taken 294 wickets in 72 matches since his 2012 debut, with an average of 24.13. His best is 7/42 against Australia in 2023. In 2021, he became the fifth-fastest Indian to achieve 2,000 runs and 200 wickets in Tests. He also holds the record for the most Test wickets by an Indian left-arm spinner in a calendar year, with 54 wickets in 2017.
8. Bishan Singh Bedi
Bishan Singh Bedi, one of India’s greatest spin bowlers, took 266 wickets in 67 Tests, including 14 five-wicket hauls. He was part of the Indian spin quartet and captained in 22 matches. His best Test performance was 7/98 against Australia in 1969–70. Bedi also ranks just behind Lance Gibbs for maiden overs bowled per Test (16.35). Awarded the Padma Shri in 1970 and the C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004, Bedi passed away in October 2023. He remains a legend in India’s cricketing history with most Test wickets for India.
9. Bhagwat Chandrasekhar
Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, known for his leg-spin, was key in Indian cricket during the 1960s-70s, contributing to the most Test wickets for India. In 58 Tests, he took 242 wickets at an average of 29.74, with his best performance being 6/52 twice against Australia in 1977-78. Despite this, he had a poor batting average of 4.07, scoring only 167 runs against 242 wickets. Chandrasekhar, who earned the Padma Shri and Arjuna Award, played his last Test in 1979, leaving a legacy in the most Test wickets for India category.
10. Javagal Srinath
Javagal Srinath, known for his pace and reverse swing, took 236 wickets in 67 Test matches, ranking among the most test wickets for India. He was the second Indian fast bowler after Kapil Dev to reach 200 Test wickets. In ODIs, he claimed 315 wickets, making him India’s second-highest wicket-taker. Post-retirement, Srinath became a match referee in 2006.
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