Test matches involving India, in recent years, have had various pitches that aid bowlers significantly. This has led to some brilliant performances by the bowlers. We will now have a look at the best bowling figures by Indian bowlers in tests since 2020.
10. Ravichandran Ashwin (vs England, 2021)
This game was the last game of the England tour of India. After the first match, India dominated throughout the series, mainly due to Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin bagging wickets. The final innings of this series went the same way with a race on, between Axar and Ashwin for fifers. Both reached their respective five-wicket hauls as India won the match by an innings and 25 runs
Ravichandran Ashwin had bowling figures of 5-47 in this innings.
9. Mohammed Shami (vs South Africa, 2021)
Like KL Rahul was responsible for India putting up an imposing total while batting, Mohammed Shami was responsible for restricting South Africa to a low total. He took two key wickets in the top order to induce an early collapse. He went on to take a fifer.
Mohammed Shami had bowling figures of 5-44 in this innings.
8. Ravichandran Ashwin (vs England, 2021)
Ravichandran Ashwin had a dream run in this match. He scored a century in the second innings and got a five-wicket haul in the first innings. India had scored 329 in the first innings and in reply, England could muster only 134 thanks to the five-wicket haul from Ashwin. India, later on, won the match and Ashwin was the man of the match.
Ravichandran Ashwin had bowling figures of 5-43 in this innings.
7. Jasprit Bumrah (vs South Africa, 2022)
This match was the final match of the 3-match series with the series level at 1-1. India had scored only 223 and had to restrict South Africa to a low total. Jasprit Bumrah managed to take a five-wicket haul and India restricted South Africa to 210.
Jasprit Bumrah had bowling figures of 5-42 in this innings.
6. Ravindra Jadeja (vs Sri Lanka, 2022)
India scored 574 thanks to Ravindra Jadeja’s 175 not out. In reply to that, Sri Lanka managed to reach till 160-4. From there on however, they lost six wickets for just 14 runs. Jadeja took four of those wickets to reach to his five-wicket haul.
Ravindra Jadeja had bowling figures of 5-41 in this innings.
5. Axar Patel (vs England, 2021)
This game was the first pink ball test in Ahmedabad. The pitch was highly favourable for spinners and Axar Patel took full benefit from it. India had a 33-run lead at the start of England’s second innings. Having already taken six wickets in the first innings, Axar managed to take yet another fifer as England got bowled out for just 81.
Axar Patel had bowling figures of 5-32 in this innings.
4. Jasprit Bumrah (vs Sri Lanka, 2022)
This match was the pink ball test in the Sri Lanka tour of India. India got bowled out for just 252 and there were criticisms of the pitch being biased a lot in favour of spinners. However, Bumrah managed to rip apart those criticisms by taking a five-wicket haul. India managed to restrict Sri Lanka for just 109.
Jasprit Bumrah had bowling figures of 5-24 in this innings.
3. Ravichandran Ashwin (vs England, 2021)
India had conceded a 241-run lead to England. They had to ensure England didn’t score much, in order to have a target that can be chased. Ravichandran Ashwin took a wicket, right in the first ball of the innings. From there on, he continued piling upon wickets. Ashwin managed to take six wickets as India restricted England to 178.
Ravichandran Ashwin had bowling figures of 6-61 in this innings.
2. Axar Patel (vs England, 2021)
This match is the same Ahmedabad pink ball test mentioned earlier. The pitch was conducive for spinners, and Axar Patel wreaked havoc on the English team. He took six wickets and England was bowled out for just 112.
Axar Patel had bowling figures of 6-38 in this innings.
1. Shardul Thakur (vs South Africa, 2022)
Shardul Thakur has become an integral part of Indian test team’s fortune when it comes to tests outside Asia. This has become another example for that. When almost everyone expected bowlers like Mohammed Shami or Jasprit Bumrah to come up with such performances, Shardul rised up to the occasion and worked his magic.
Shardul Thakur had bowling figures of 7-61 in this innings.
