The test series between India and Australia have been named Border-Gavaskar Trophy since 1996. The series have been named such, in honour of eminent former batsmen of Indian and Australian teams, Allan Border and Sunil Gavaskar. We will now have a look at the bowlers who taken the most wickets in a single Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
1. Harbhajan Singh (2001)
The most impressive aspect about Harbhajan’s 30+ wicket tally in this series is that, this is just a 3-match series, meaning he took more than half of the available 60 wickets. This was early in his test career and Australia were in a red-hot form coming into this series with 15 successive wins. Harbhajan’s bowling meant, they lost the streak and also the series. Harbhajan was adjudged the man of the series. Harbhajan Singh took 32 wickets in the series.
2. Ravichandran Ashwin (2013)
India had lost all four tests in the previous Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India had also lost a home series to England recently. Considering these facts, India were not the outright favourites in the series. However, what followed was simply magical. In the first innings of the first test, Ashwin had taken all the first six wickets. When it looked like he might have a shot at taking all ten wickets, Jadeja ended up taking a wicket. Nevertheless, Ashwin managed to take 4 five-wicket hauls in the series. India won all four matches of the series and Ashwin was the man of the series. Ravichandran Ashwin took 29 wickets in the series.
3. Anil Kumble (2004)
Anil Kumble took three five-wicket hauls in the series. His best performance in the series was the Chennai test where he secured 13 wickets and also scored 20 runs. The match was a draw and he was adjudged the man of the match. However, in terms of the series, India lost the series 1-2. Anil Kumble took 27 wickets in the series.
4. Ben Hilfenhaus (2011-12)
Amidst the runs that were flowing in the series, Ben Hilfenhaus had a silent contribution throughout with the ball. He managed two five-wicket hauls and Australia eventually won the series. Ben Hilfenhaus took 27 wickets in the series.
5. Ravindra Jadeja (2017)
Jadeja had a magnificent series with the ball. He took two five-wicket hauls with one of them being in the Bengaluru test, where losing the match mean losing the trophy and India were reeling under the after effects of a crushing defeat in Pune. India won the match and eventually won the series. Jadeja was adjudged the man of the series. Ravindra Jadeja took 25 wickets in the series.
6. Anil Kumble (2003-04)
Anil Kumble took bulk of wickets in the series but the most impressive bowling innings of his was in the Sydney test. In a match where 1747 runs were scored for the loss of just 25 wickets, he managed to take 8-141 and sent India to a dominating position Anil Kumble took 24 wickets in the series.
7. Brett Lee (2007-08)
Brett Lee was a bowler known more for his ODI exploits than test cricket. However, in this series, he was a constant nagging presence for the Indian team, taking 2-3 wickets every innings. He also managed to take a five-wicket haul. Brett Lee was adjudged the man of the series. Brett Lee took 24 wickets in the series.
8. Ravindra Jadeja (2013)
This series marked the beginning of Ashwin and Jadeja as a deadly duo that would win India various home test series for years to come. Jadeja was annoyingly accurate in his length and reaped the rewards for it in the series with wickets. He particularly had the opposing captain Michael Clarke as his bunny, whom he dismissed 5 out of 6 times (Clarke didn’t play the final test). Ravindra Jadeja took 24 wickets in the series.
9. Anil Kumble (1998)
This was a 3-match series. India won the series 2-1 and Kumble was an important factor for that. He took 2 fifers one each in second and third tests and also took 8 wickets in the first match which India won. Anil Kumble took 23 wickets in the series.
10. Peter Siddle (2011-12)
Peter Siddle was a pacer known for his control and was used as a workhorse. He managed to get a five-wicket haul in the final test and was also the man of the match in it. Peter Siddle took 23 wickets in the series.
