Stats: Bowlers With Most Wickets In India vs Sri Lanka Tests

Updated: Thu, Mar 03 2022 11:42 IST
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IND v SL: India clean swept Sri Lanka in the recent 3-match T20I series and would be confident going into the two-match test series with a new captain. Rohit Sharma is having a successful running ever since he was appointed the permanent Indian skipper and would look to demolish a meek Sri Lankan side.

Bowlers are of utmost importance in a test match because ultimately picking up 20 wickets lead a team to a win instead of however many runs a team puts up. Indian bowling faced a revamp when Kohli was in charge as Team India regularly started playing 5 bowlers on their test side. It will be interesting how the bowling is managed in Rohit's 'New Era' Captaincy.

Top 5 Bowlers with most wickets in India vs Sri Lanka tests since 2011. 


#5. Mohammad Shami (19 Wickets)

The fast Indian pacer has been a crucial asset for Team India as far as bowling in test matches is concerned. Some have even rated him better than Jasprit Bumrah in tests which is a big statement. The 31-year old bowler has picked 19 wickets against Sri Lanka since 2011 in 5 matches. His best figure of 4/100 came against Sri Lanka in the 1st test at Kolkata in 2017, where India were restricted to 172 in the first inning. Shami picked up 4 wickets and halted Sri Lanka at 294. Indian batters felt themselves and declared second innings on 352/8, and ultimately the match ended in a draw. 


#4. Ishant Sharma (21 Wickets)

The tall Indian pacer Ishant Sharma has registered 21 wickets to his name in 5 matches against Sri Lanka. The pacer has done wonders for team India in tests and even though he's out of the playing XI recently, it's all due to trying out new talent, not because the bowler's performance has dipped. His best of 5/54 came in the 3rd test at Colombo (SSC) in 2015 when India were restricted to 312 in the first innings. Shami's fifer restricted Sri Lanka to 201 runs and ultimately India won the match by 117 runs. 


#3. Rangana Herath (21 Wickets)

Rangana Herath, the former left-arm orthodox bowler from Sri Lanka, ranks third on this list with 21 wickets to his name in 7 test matches. Herath's best figures of 7/48 against India came in the 1st test at Galle in 2015. In this thrilling match, Sri Lanka were restricted to 183 after batting first. India scored 375 in reply and then Lankan batters managed 367 in the second innings. While defending a total of 175 runs, Rangana Herath toyed with Indian batters as the orthodox bowler picked up 7 wickets and helped Sri Lanka win the match by 63 runs. 


#2. Ravindra Jadeja (23 Wickets)

The ace Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja ranks second on the list with 23 wickets in 5 test matches against Sri Lanka. Jadeja has proved his immense value over the years in all three departments of the game and comes in as a handy left-arm slow bowler. Jadeja's best of 5/152 against Sri Lanka came in the 2nd test at Colombo (SSC) in 2017. India declared their first innings on 622/9. Sri Lanka were restricted to 183 in their first innings and India enforced a follow-on. Lankans were then restricted to 386 with Jadeja's fifer, and India won the match by an innings and 53 runs. 


#1. Ravichandran Ashwin (50 Wickets)

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A regular wicket-taker for team India, off-spinner Ravichandran tops this chart with 50 wickets to his name in 9 test matches against Sri Lanka since 2011. Ashwin has three 5-wicket hauls in these matches and his best figures remain 6/46. In the same test where Herath picked up 7/48, Ashwin's 6/46 helped India restrict Sri Lanka to 183 in the first innings. For a spinner to pick up wickets in the first innings of a test is a tough job, and to pick 6 of them is a rather commendable task. 

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