3 Indian Bowlers With The Most Five-Wicket Hauls In A Calendar Year

The pitches in sub-continent conditions tend to help spinners more than the pacers. The Indian pitches are mostly slow and soft. Thus, it offers grip which is helpful for the spinners to spin the ball. That is the foremost reason why it is mostly suited for spinners and batsmen. The fast bowlers tend to work a lot harder to fetch wickets.

The fact that out of the four highest wicket-takers for India in Test Cricket are spinners tells you why India never had too many fast bowlers in their set-up. Spinners always had a big role to play for India, especially in Test Cricket.

India are currently playing a two-match Test series against New Zealand. Out of the 10 New Zealand wickets in their first innings, spinners picked nine of them. Such has been the impact of spin bowling over the years for India.

The top three bowlers who have picked the most five-wicket hauls for India in a calendar year are also spinners. Here’s a look at who are these bowlers and how many five-wicket hauls they have recorded in a calendar year:

3 Indian Bowlers With The Most Five-Wicket Hauls In A Calendar Year

1. Harbhajan Singh- 6 

One of the greatest cricketers ever to play for India, Harbhajan Singh has the joint-most number of five-wicket hauls in a calendar year. Harbhajan Singh played a massive role for India in Test Cricket, especially in subcontinent conditions.

He became extremely dangerous whenever the pitch offered a turn. Having said that, his accuracy and variations also made him quite efficient on non-turning pitches as well. Harbhajan Singh picked six five-wicket hauls in the year 2001.

2. Ravi Ashwin- 6

Ravi Ashwin is currently the premier spinner in the National Cricket Team in Test Cricket. Ashwin has been outstanding over the last decade. He has played an instrumental role in helping India become a lethal force in Test Cricket. He recently equalled Harbhajan Singh’s tally of wickets in Test Cricket.

Ashwin has now 417 wickets in 80 Tests. One more wicket will help him go past Harbhajan Singh to become the third-highest wicket-taker for India in Test Cricket. Ashwin too picked 6 five-wicket hauls in the year 2016.

3. Axar Patel- 5

Axar Patel has made a rollicking start to his Test Cricket Career. He has managed to pick 5 five-wicket hauls in just 4 Tests. On the third day of the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur, Axar Patel became the second-fastest bowler to pick 5 five-wicket hauls in Test Cricket.

He made his debut in the home Test series against England. Axar Patel played 3 matches in the series and picked 27 wickets at an average of 10.59. He picked four five-wicket hauls in the series. So far, he has managed to pick 5 five-wicket hauls in the year 2021.