Most Wickets for Indians in International cricket

Indian cricket has seen some of the most talented cricketers in the history of the sport. Indian bowlers, in particular, have always been a force to reckon with in international cricket. These Indian cricketers have contributed significantly to the success of Indian cricket over the years. They have taken a considerable number of wickets and have played an essential role in various victories for India. In this article, we will take a look at the bowlers who have taken the most wickets for Indians in international cricket.

1. Anil Kumble | 956 Wickets

Anil Kumble comes holds the first position in the list of most wickets for Indians in International cricket. He is considered one of India's greatest spin bowlers and one of the most successful bowlers in international cricket history. Kumble has played 132 Tests and 271 ODIs for India. He took a total of 956 wickets in his international career, including 619 wickets in Test cricket and 337 wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs). This record has not been broken till date and there is no possibility that any bowler can break this record even further. Moreover, only two players have a record of scoring more than 500 wickets and more than 2000 runs in Test cricket. First Shane Warne of Australia and second Anil Kumble. Kumble's most memorable performance came in the 1999 Test against Pakistan in Delhi, where he took all ten wickets in an innings.

2. Harbhajan Singh | 711 Wickets

Harbhajan Singh is one of the most successful spinners in the history of Indian cricket. He has taken numerous wickets for India in all formats of the game. That's why he comes at the second position in the list of most wickets for Indians in international cricket. He represented India in 103 Tests, 236 ODIs, and 28 T20Is. Harbhajan Singh took a total of 711 wickets in his international career, including 417 wickets in Test cricket, 269 wickets in ODI, and 25 plucks in T20 Internationals. One of the highlights of the Punjab cricketer's international career was his performance against Australia, where he took 32 wickets in three Tests including a maiden Test hat-trick for India. Moreover, he played a crucial role in India's victory in the 2007 World Twenty20 and the 2011 World Cup.

3. Ravichandran Ashwin | 688* Wickets

Ravichandran Ashwin recorded history by claiming his 688th international wickets during the first session of Day 2 in Indore against Australia. The scalp puts him ahead of Kapil Dev in terms of most wickets for Indians in International cricket. And the off-spinner only finds himself behind the illustrious duo of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. The off-spinner overtook Kapil Dev's elusive tally of 434 Test wickets during the home series against Sri Lanka in March 2022. He has since reached the 450 wicket mark as well and his current tally reads 466. Moreover, he has also claimed 151 ODI wickets and 72 T20I wickets over the course of his career.

4. Kapil Dev | 687 Wickets

Kapil Dev was an exceptional all-rounder and is widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers India has ever produced. Arguably the greatest cricketer in the history of Indian cricket, Kapil became the country's first World Cup winning captain when he led India to a World Cup win in 1983. He was a skillful and versatile bowler who could swing the ball both ways. Kapil Dev took a total of 687 wickets in his international career, including 434 wickets in Test cricket and 253 wickets in ODIs. Even today, Kapil remains in the list of top-10 leading wicket-takers in the world. He is next only to Ravichandran Ashwin as far as Indian bowlers are concerned. With his stellar performance, he made his place in the list of most wickets for Indians in International cricket.

5. Zaheer Khan | 610 Wickets

Zaheer Khan holds the fifth position in the list of most wickets for Indians in International cricket. He is considered one of the finest left-arm pacers to have played for India. Khan could swing the ball both ways and was also adept at bowling reverse swing. He played 92 Tests, 200 one-day internationals, and 17 Twenty20s for India and took a total of 610 wickets in his international career. His 311 Test wickets came at 32.94 while he picked up 282 scalps in ODIs. Moreover, He went on to lead the Indian attack in the 2011 World Cup. He also was the joint-top wicket-taker in the tournament with 21 scalps, helping his side clinch the title in the process.