Indian batsmen have traditionally struggled as a batting unit against the overseas bowlers except on some rare occasions. The current era has changed, and India looks like a bigger threat with their bowling department. Over the years, many great batsmen have emerged from India, including the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and so on. Despite these quality batsmen, certain bowlers have always troubled the Indian batsmen. They have relished the challenge of taking it up against the Indian batsmen.
Here are the top 10 bowlers with the most wickets against India in Tests:
#10 Courtney Walsh – 65 Wickets (25 Innings)
The former West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh was one of the best in the business in his era, and he had big success against India in Tests especially. Walsh played 15 Tests against India from 1987 to 1997 and picked up 65 wickets at an average of 20.24. His best figures in an innings were 6 wickets for 62 runs against India, and he kept on troubling the Indian batsmen constantly with his height. Walsh picked up four fifers against India in Tests along with one ten-wicket match haul.
#9 Dale Steyn – 65 Wickets (23 Innings)
Dale Steyn was one of the fascinating bowlers to watch in Tests, and he owned the number one bowler ranking in the longer format for most days. The former South African pacer had a lot of aggression, and he picked up 65 wickets in 14 Tests against India at an average of 21.53. His best figures in an innings were 7 wickets for 51 runs against the Indian side in Tests. In addition, he picked up 5 five-wicket hauls against India and one ten-wicket match haul.
Related: Which bowler has the most wickets in home Test matches?
#8 Wes Hall – 65 Wickets (26 Innings)
Wes Hall had a great career for the West Indies as a fast bowler, and his numbers against India as an opponent were so good. In his 9-year test career for the West Indian side, Hall picked up 65 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 18.78, which is the best on the list. He had the best figures of 6 wickets for 49 runs against India in Tests and picked up four fifers against the nation. He also had a ten-wicket match haul against India.
Note: Sir Richard Hadlee also has picked the same number of wickets (like Wes Hall, Dale Steyn, & Courtney Walsh) against India in Test cricket – 65 in 24 Innings
#7 Andy Roberts – 67 Wickets (25 Innings)
Andy Roberts was one of the quickest bowlers of his generation and had an excellent career for India in Tests. The West Indian pacer, from the period of 1974 to 1983, picked up 67 wickets from 14 Tests at an average of 21.70. Roberts had the big figures of 7 wickets for 64 runs against India in Tests and picked 4 five-wicket hauls against India. He had an overall best match haul of 12 wickets for 121 runs which is stunning.
#6 Stuart Broad – 74 Wickets (43 Innings)
Stuart Broad is one of the best swing bowlers in the world in the current generation, and he has troubled most of the batsmen in the world. The right-arm seamer has picked up 74 wickets in 24 Tests against India at an average of 28.51, and the numbers are set to improve still. He is just 34 years of age and already has the best figures of 6 wickets for 25 runs against India in Tests. He has picked up two five-wicket hauls against India in Tests so far.
#5 Malcolm Marshall – 76 Wickets (30 Innings)
Malcolm Marshall had some astounding numbers for West Indies in his Test career, and he is regarded to be one of the greatest bowlers of all time. The right-arm fast bowler was very effective against the Indian batters and picked up 76 wickets in 17 Tests at an average of 21.98. Marshall was very challenging to face with the best figures of 6 wickets for 37 runs against India. He picked up 6 five-wicket hauls against India in the longer format alongside one 10 wicket match haul.
#4 Imran Khan – 94 Wickets (38 Innings)
Imran Khan is considered one of the greatest all-rounders of all time, and he liked the challenge against the Indian batters. In the 23 Tests against India, Imran Khan picked up 94 wickets at an average of 24.04. He picked up six five-wicket hauls against India and looked very potent every time he came into the attack. His best figures were eight-wicket for 60 runs against the nation in Tests against India. The former Pakistan cricketer is currently the president of his own country.
#3 Muttiah Muralitharan – 105 Wickets (32 Innings)
Muttiah Muralitharan is considered the greatest spinner of all time in every format, and he was the only bowler to pick up 800 Test wickets. He was brilliant against every nation, and it wasn’t a different story against India as well. He picked up 105 wickets in 22 Tests against India at an average of 32.61. The off-spinner has seven five-wicket hauls, and two ten-wicket match hauls against India. He was always a big threat from the Sri Lankan bowling attack with the best figures of 8 for 87 in an innings.
#2 Nathan Lyon – 116 Wickets (47 Innings)
Nathan Lyon is one of the most underrated spinners going around in the world at the moment. Despite supporting the fast bowlers a lot in non-friendly conditions, he goes unrecognised for a spinner in the Australian pitches. The off-spinner has been very good against India, picking his 100th wicket against India in his 24th Test against the Men in Blue at an average around 35. He equaled the most number of five-wicket hauls against India in Tests – 9 so far. His best figures against India read 8 wickets for 50 runs.
#1 James Anderson – 139 Wickets (66 Innings)
James Anderson holds the record for the most number of wickets against India in the longest format. The England swing bowler is one of the greatest ever to have played the game and continues his services at 39+ years of age. He has picked up 139 wickets in 35 Tests against India, and the number has been increasing in the ongoing Test series. In fact, he has almost every top Indian batter in the format in his most dismissed batters list.
He has picked up 6 five-wicket hauls against India with best figures of 5 for 20. Anderson has an average around 25 while bowling against India and is very effective too. He is also the bowler who has played most Tests against India.
Related: Which bowler has picked the most wickets in all formats combined?
