Jadeja is now only behind Harbhajan Singh, Kapil Dev, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Anil Kumble in the list of India’s all-time wicket-takers in Test cricket.
On November 1, 2024, during the first day of the third Test between India and New Zealand in Mumbai, Ravindra Jadeja became India’s fifth-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. He is now only behind Harbhajan Singh, Kapil Dev, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Anil Kumble.
Before this Test match, Jadeja had 309 wickets. His five-wicket haul against New Zealand in the first innings helped him surpass Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan, each with 311 wickets.
Now let’s look at the top wicket-takers for India in Test cricket.
Anil Kumble holds the record for the most Test wickets for India, having taken 619 wickets in 132 matches during his 18-year career. He is widely regarded as one of the best leg-spin bowlers in Test cricket and ranks as the fourth-highest wicket-taker in the format’s history. Kumble also achieved 37 five-wicket hauls in an innings and has taken ten wickets in a match on eight occasions.
Kumble made his Test debut against England in 1990 and retired from the sport in 2008. A significant highlight of his career came in 1999 when he became only the second cricketer in history to take ten wickets in a single innings, achieving this remarkable feat against Pakistan in Delhi.
Ravichandran Ashwin, an off-spinner, is ranked second for the most wickets taken by an Indian in Test cricket. He is also the second Indian bowler to reach the milestone of 500 wickets in this format. In 104 Test matches, Ashwin has taken 533 wickets with an impressive average of 23.87, making him the highest wicket-taker among active Indian players.
Ashwin has also achieved 37 five-wicket hauls in an innings and eight instances of taking ten wickets in a match. Additionally, Ashwin has scored 3,460 runs in Test cricket, which includes six centuries and 14 half-centuries.
Kapil Dev, the 1983 World Cup-winning captain, is now ranked third but held the record as India’s highest wicket-taker in Tests for many years before Anil Kumble surpassed him. Kapil made his Test debut against Pakistan in 1978 and retired in 1994. He was the first Indian bowler to reach 400 Test wickets.
He has played 131 Tests and taken 434 wickets at an average of 29.64. Widely regarded as one of India’s greatest all-rounders, he has scored 5,248 runs in Test cricket, which includes eight centuries and 27 half-centuries.
Harbhajan Singh, one of India’s most successful off-spinners, left a lasting legacy with 417 Test wickets in 103 matches, making him the fourth-highest wicket-taker for India in the format. Playing Test cricket for almost 18 years between 1998 and 2015, Bhajji formed an impressive bowling partnership with Anil Kumble.
Notably, he became the first Indian off-spinner to reach the 400-wicket mark, boasting a solid bowling average of 32.46.
Ravindra Jadeja is now the fifth bowler on the list of India’s all-time wicket-takers, having surpassed Ishant Sharma. His five-wicket haul in the third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai on November 1, 2024, on Day 1 of the match, etched his name in the history books, placing him among the elite Indian bowlers as the only left-arm spinner on the list.
Since making his Test debut in 2011, Jadeja has played 77 matches and taken 314 wickets. He has achieved 14 five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket match performances. In addition to his bowling, Jadeja has scored 3,215 runs, including four centuries and 21 half-centuries.
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