India’s highest Test wicket-takers in Australia
This week has all but belonged to Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired from international cricket recently.
He has hogged the headlines – and rightly so.
But quietly, in the background, Jasprit Bumrah has become the Indian with the most Test wickets in Australia.
Let’s understand how he got there – and who he surpassed for the milestone.
5. Bishan Bedi
Bedi took 266 Test wickets overall and 35 of these came in Australia, across seven matches and at an average of 27.51. His bowling average in Australia was stronger than his overall Test average.
The left-arm spinner would often enjoy the benefit of a bit of extra bounce in Australian conditions, which he relished and made sure to cash in.
4. Ravichandran Ashwin
After 11 Tests in Australia, Ashwin ended with 40 wickets in the country. He retired from international cricket during the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Series, so won’t be building on this tally.
Overall against Australia, in their country and his, Ashwin took a resounding 115 Test wickets. He loved performing well against the old enemy.
Read more: Test cricket’s most prolific bowler-fielder combinations
3. Anil Kumble
The only leg-spinner on this list, Kumble has the third most Test wickets for India in Australia. He took 619 overall and 49 of those came in Australia.
Few fans will forget that match figures of 12 for 279 he took at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2004, when Sourav Ganguly was his captain. What a remarkable feat that was.
2. Kapil Dev
Dev is one of two seamers on this list. He particularly enjoyed travelling to Australia for Test cricket, collecting 51 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 24.59.
Keep in mind that he took 434 Test wickets in total, so the percentage claimed in Australia is relatively high and an achievement to be proud of. He took five innings five-fors, but never managed a match 10-for in Australia.
1. Jasprit Bumrah
Averaging more than five wickets per Test in Australia, Bumrah has collected 52 in 10.
His bowling average in the country is a wonderful 17.21 – that’s a truly impressive number for a visiting bowler in Australia. It pretty much accounts for a quarter of his total of 194 Test wickets.
He has taken three five-fors, but doesn’t have a 10-for there yet. Watch this space.
These five cricketers have shown that Indian bowlers can succeed in foreign conditions – especially on tricky pitches for visiting seamers and spinners in Australia. Their away records in this country have been well worth highlighting.
Read next: Who has hit the most Test centuries for Australia?
