This article explores the dominance of elite bowlers against left-handed batters in Test cricket, highlighting the record-breaking achievements of Ravichandran Ashwin and other legendary wicket-takers.
Bowlers with Most Left-Handed Batters Dismissals in Tests
| Player | Innings | LHB Wickets | Average | Total Career Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravichandran Ashwin (IND) | 198 | 268 | 19.85 | 537 |
| Jamesh Anderson (ENG) | 335 | 221 | 28.01 | 704 |
| Nathan Lyon (AUS) | 227 | 200 | 24.11 | 567 |
| Stuart Broad (ENG) | 291 | 193 | 30.62 | 604 |
| Tim Southee (NZ) | 197 | 148 | 30.24 | 391 |
| Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) | 133 | 138 | 29.18 | 800 |
| Mitchell Starc (AUS) | 188 | 138 | 24.77 | 433 |
| Dale Steyn (SA) | 159 | 136 | 28.57 | 439 |
| Trent Boult (NZ) | 145 | 135 | 24.89 | 317 |
| Harbhajan Singh (IND) | 169 | 133 | 34.18 | 417 |
| Zaheer Khan (IND) | 160 | 131 | 29.41 | 311 |
Guess: Who Leads the Same Chart in ODIs?
Key Insights on Most Successful Bowlers Against Left-Handed Batters
Individual Milestone Records of Top Wicket-Takers
Ravichandran Ashwin has dismissed the most left-handed batters in Test cricket, claiming 268 wickets against them—exactly half of his career total.
Ashwin became the first bowler in the history of the sport to reach the milestone of 200 Test wickets specifically against left-handed batters.
Among fast bowlers, James Anderson holds the record for the most wickets against left-handers, with 221 scalps (comprising 31.39% of his career total). Here are batters dismissed most times by Anderson.
The top five batters most frequently dismissed by Ashwin are all left-handers, led by Ben Stokes, whom he has dismissed 13 times in 29 innings.
Ashwin is the only bowler to have dismissed five different left-handed batters 9 or more times in Test matches.
Find out batters who are dismissed most times by Ashwin here.
Performance Analytics by Dismissal Type and Average
Ravichandran Ashwin maintains the lowest bowling average against left-handed batters in Test history at 19.85 (minimum 2000 balls bowled).
James Anderson leads the charts for caught dismissals against left-handers, with 154 of his 221 wickets coming via catches. Find all records held by Anderson here.
Ashwin has recorded the highest number of bowled (51) and LBW (69) dismissals against southpaws in the longest format.
Nathan Lyon and Muttiah Muralitharan are the only two bowlers to have achieved 10 or more stumpings against left-handed batters in Tests.
Stuart Broad established a legendary dominance over David Warner, dismissing the Australian opener 17 times—the most a single bowler has dismissed a specific left-hander.
Historical Calendar Year and Consistency Records
Other legendary bowlers in this category include David Warner, James Anderson, Alastair Cook, and Tom Latham, who feature prominently in the head-to-head records of top spinners and pacers.
The record for the most left-handed dismissals in a single calendar year is held by Ravichandran Ashwin, who took 37 wickets in 2015.
Ashwin (with 31 wickets in 2016) and England’s Graeme Swann are the only two bowlers to take 30 or more wickets against southpaws in two separate calendar years.
Graeme Swann achieved his dual-year feat by taking 35 wickets in 2009 and 30 wickets in 2010.
See: Most Test Wickets in a Calendar Year
