Top 5: Best Bowling Figures in Border-Gavaskar Trophy (innings)

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) has forever been a testing ground of resilience, talent, and hard work. The tales of epic clashes in the Australia vs India rivalry make for some memorable cricket and have left their legacy, not just through batsmen.

The most amazing of the shows in this series has been delivered by bowlers who have single-handedly turned games on their heads with some shrewd bowling. The spinners are usually overshadowed by the fast men, but it spins in the subcontinent that spins this series on its head.

There have been numerous astonishing performances, but these five bowling spells were all one-man shows in each innings. These performances not only turned the games on their heads but are etched in cricket fans’ memories for ripping right through strong batting line-ups. 

We are now going to delve into the five best bowling figures in an innings in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

1. Nathan Lyon – 8/50 at Bengaluru, 2017

Bengaluru 2017 remains a masterclass of off-spin bowling from none other than Nathan Lyon. Lyon worked his magic on a spinning track and finished with 8 for 50.

It was no mean feat, as Lyon did this against a quality Indian batting attack. Even more importantly, the quality of the batsmen that he was dismissing only added to his performance.

The three were among the best batsmen in India – KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Virat Kohli. His accurate line and ability to get the purchase of the turn on offer confused the Indian batsmen.

In a series dominated by the batsmen, Lyon’s performance in that Test was almost an ode to remind us mere mortals of how even on Indian tracks, Australian spinners could take it apart in the same systematic manner as any of our Indian spinners.

It was a match-turning spell of 8-50 that helped put Australia in control, and its influence reverberated through the contest. 

2. Nathan Lyon – 8/64 at Indore, 2023

Six years after his monumental display in Bengaluru, Lyon had done it again — this time at Indore during the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

Australia finished day 2 strong, with Lyon being the centre of attraction as they went into day 3 with India tottering at 36 for a big loss in their second innings, and he would not make much difference on Friday either.

Lyon would go on to apply relentless pressure as he made key strikes at an economy rate of 2.72 early in the game, dismissing star players like Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Cheteshwar Pujara.

Lyon continued to find the right length and came up with big wickets at crucial moments, making things difficult for Indian batsmen. This searing spell further reaffirmed his title as one of the premier spinners in contemporary cricket, especially on subcontinental tracks.

It wasn’t just the manner in which Lyon took these wickets that gave this spell lasting resonance, but also how he seized control of a match to hand Australia an advantage in what formed up as a nervy low-scorer.

Also Read | Top 5: Most Wickets in Border-Gavaskar Trophy

3. Harbhajan Singh – 8/84 at Chennai, 2001

The Chennai Test of 2001 will remain a testament to one of the most renowned matches in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and it was Harbhajan Singh who emerged as champion with his magnificent display with the ball.

Harbhajan took 8 wickets in the second innings, and together with his 7 in the first innings, it played a huge part in India winning that game. His figure of 15/217 in the match changed — and perhaps even more importantly, one managed to get an outcome from this memorable series.

Harbhajan bowled 41.5 overs in the second innings at an economy of just 2.0 runs per over and took out the major chunk of Australia’s batting line-up with his brilliant spell, which helped India win the series 2-1 after they had lost to the Aussies on their home turf earlier this year!

The drift he could generate in addition to small turn on the pitch combined with some natural variation made for a brief but deceptively productive burst of bowling from him that truly helped India clinch an incredible win.

The Chennai Test is still recalled for its tenseness and the swings of fortunes in this most competitive game between two grating teams, which Harbhajan finally turned decisively with his 8 wickets in Australia’s second innings.

4. Anil Kumble – 8/141 at Sydney, 2004

Anil Kumble was known for his never-say-die attitude, and his spell of 8/141 at Sydney in 2004 is a testament to his resilience. Bowling on a flat Sydney pitch, where Australia had already racked up a massive total of 474 in response to India’s 705.

Kumble kept plugging away with his leg spin, never letting up despite the lack of assistance from the surface. His economy rate of 3.01 in 46.5 overs shows the kind of persistence that defined his career.

Kumble’s spell came on a track that offered almost nothing to the bowlers, yet he found a way to make an impact. He broke key partnerships and kept chipping away at the Australian batting order.

While the match ended in a draw, Kumble’s 8 wickets were the most crucial in making sure that Australia didn’t run away with the game. His effort was a reminder of his ability to take the burden of India’s bowling attack on his shoulders, especially in tough overseas conditions.

Kumble’s 8-wicket haul remains one of the finest performances on a pitch that had little for the bowlers.

 

5. Jason Krejza – 8/215 at Nagpur, 2008

In his debut Test match, Jason Krejza bowled a marathon 43.5 overs and scalped 8 wickets, which included the likes of Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, and Rahul Dravid. While his economy of 4.90 went for more runs than some others in the class.

Although Australia lost the match, Krejza’s debut is one of the most unforgettable in Test cricket. A performance that saw him take an 8-wicket haul and give Australia at least a fighting chance in what was a lopsided summer.

While Krejza’s figures are still the eighth best of all time on debut by any bowler, his career never really reached those heights again, but this performance in Nagpur will forever be one entrenched in identity to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.