5 Indian Pacers With The Most Wickets After 21 Tests

Indian cricket has observed many pacers developing a lucrative and long career in Tests. These Indian pacers bagged the spotlight since the start of their Test career. They picked a lot of wickets during the initial stage of their careers which increased their wickets’ tally in the longer format of the game at the start. Later, some of them also emerged among the highest wicket-takers in the unlimited format of the game.

Pacers are always a crucial part of all three formats. Whether it is Test, ODI, or T20I, pacers always make it into the playing XI of the teams and also play a dominant role in the match.

In Test cricket, there are few Indian pacers who were like a hurricane during the initials Test matches they played for India and accounted for maximum wickets. In this article, we talk about 5 Indian pacers with the most wickets after 21 Tests.

5 Indian Pacers With The Most Wickets After 21 Tests

5. S Sreesanth- 70

S Sreesanth takes the 5th spot in this list. The right-arm pacer picked 70 wickets in his first 21 Tests. The 38-year-old pacer made his Test debut in March 2006 in a match against England, picking 4 wickets on his debut. He played his 21st Test against New Zealand in November 2010, scalping 2 wickets.

Sreesanth, who was a member of the 2011 ODI World Cup-winning squad of India, played his last Test match in August 2011 against England. In his international career so far, He has scalped 87 wickets in 27 matches after bowling in 50 innings.

4. Mohammed Shami- 71

Mohammed Shami holds 4th place in this list with 71 wickets in his first 21 Test encounters. The right-arm pacer made his Test debut in November 2013 against West Indies, dismissing 9 batsmen in the match. Shami followed up his magnificent performance in the next 20 games.

In his 21st Test, which was a clash against England in November 2016, he scalped 3 wickets for 58 runs. So far in his Test career, the 30-year-old Indian pacer has picked 188 wickets in 52 Test matches at an average of 27.51.

3. Kapil Dev- 79

By picking 79 wickets in his first 21 Test matches, Kapil Dev grabs the 3rd spot in this list. The former Indian skipper played Tests for India from 1978 to 1994. Dev, who was the 1983 ODI World Cup-winning Indian captain, made his Test debut in a match against Pakistan in October 1978.

In his 21st Test against Pakistan in December 1979, the right-arm pacer picked 9 wickets, reaching a tally of 79 wickets post the match. In his overall career, the all-rounder picked 434 wickets in 131 Test matches.

2. Irfan Pathan- 81

Irfan Pathan bags the 2nd spot in this list with 81 wickets in his first 21 Test games. The former pacer played Tests for India from 2003 to 2008. The left-arm pacer made his debut in December 2003 against Australia.

In his 21st Test in January 2006, he reached a tally of 81 Test wickets after picking 6 wickets against Pakistan in the match. Pathan played 29 Test matches during his career and scalped 100 wickets at an average of 32.26.

1. Jasprit Bumrah- 92

Jasprit Bumrah tops this list with 92 wickets in 21 Test matches. Bumrah is playing his 21 Test in ongoing India vs England 1st Test. Bumrah played his debut Test match in January 2018 against South Africa. The Indian pacer picked 4 wickets in the match.

In the ongoing Test match against England, he dismissed 9 batsmen in both innings. Hence in 21 Test matches so far, the 27-year-old accounts for 92 wickets in 41 innings at an average of 22.14. This is the most number of wickets picked by an Indian pacer in the first 21 Test matches of his career to date.