Top 5: Most Wickets in a Single Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series

The reason why India and Australia have become competitive in the last two decades or so is the balance between the sides. Both sides have plenty of firepower in batting as well as bowling and it has resulted in pulsating Test series irrespective of the conditions they are played in.

There is a saying, ‘Batters win games, but bowlers win tournaments.’ This is true in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) as well, as the teams with better bowlers have won the series historically.

Here in this article, we will discuss the bowling performances that stood out in the BGT. Look at the bowlers with the most wickets in a single Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

5. Ravichandran Ashwin (India): 25 wickets | 2022/23

India’s ace spinner makes the cut ahead of his long-time teammate Ravindra Jadeja, who also picked up 25 wickets in BGT 2016/17. But Jadeja’s bowling average was a tad higher (18.56), compared to Ashwin of the 2022/23 series.

In what was a competitive series in which the hosts managed to win 2-1, Ashwin bowled with a lot of consistency. The first two games which India won saw him take 14 wickets at 13.93 apiece with a five-wicket haul in Nagpur.

India lost in Indore in the third and played out a draw in the fourth in Ahmedabad, in which Ashwin shined once again with great figures of 6/91.

4. Anil Kumble (India): 27 wickets | 2004/05

While India lost a rare series at home against the Aussies (1-2), one bowler who stood tall throughout the tourney was Anil Kumble. The Indian leg-spinner was a tormentor in chief against the Aussies and ended up being the highest wicket-taker from either side.

He picked up only 5 wickets in the first Test in Bengaluru, which India lost, but bounced back in style with twin five-wicket hauls (7/48 & 6/133) in a rain-curtailed drawn game in Chennai.

Kumble wasn’t effective in the Nagpur Test, which India lost, and took his third fifer of the tour (5/90) in Mumbai. 

Also Read | Top 5: Most Runs in a Single Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series

3. Ben Hilfenhaus (Australia): 27 wickets | 2011/12

If India gave a thrashing to the Aussies in the 2012/13 BGT series 4-0, Australia had done the same when they hosted them earlier in 2011/12. Much of the 4-0 was thanks to the complete dominant performance by the hosts in all the departments of the game.

Yes, there were many telling contributions, but one bowler from the Australian team who stood out and kept Indian batters on their toes throughout the series was Ben Hilfenhaus. He, along with fellow pacer Peter Siddle, wreaked havoc on Indian batters, picking up 50 wickets between them.

The pacer picked up a five-wicket haul each in both Melbourne and Sydney Tests and twin four-fers at the WACA in Perth.

2. Ravichandran Ashwin (India): 29 wickets | 2012/13

Still in the starting phase of his Test career, Ravi Ashwin gave a glimpse of his abilities in this 4-match Test series against Australia at home. He made the Aussies dance to his tunes and was highly effective on the helpful surfaces in India.

He started things with a 12-wicket haul in the first Test in Chennai, followed by another fifer in Hyderabad in the second game (5/63). Picking up just four wickets in the third Test, Ashwin finished the tour on a high note, taking 5/37 in the first innings of the Delhi Test match.

The hosts won all four games and inflicted a rare series whitewash on the Aussies.

1. Harbhajan Singh (India): 32 wickets | 2000/01

India scripted a famous coming from the back series win in the BGT 2000/01 series. Australia came into the series with 15 consecutive Test wins and were favourites to clinch the BGT despite being the visiting team.

The Indian off spinner didn’t necessarily have the best of starts to his Test career, as he had picked up just 21 wickets in his first eight Tests. Australia, as expected, won the first Test at Mumbai convincingly, and Harbhajan had a tough outing, finishing with match figures of 4/132.

But the next two Tests changed Indian cricket and Harbhajan’s career forever as the home team won both matches and the offie picked up 28 wickets in the four innings. All these were five-wicket hauls, and he registered his best figures of 8/84 in Test cricket.