Most wickets in India-South Africa Tests
India are all set to take on South Africa in a two-match Test series with the first game starting at the SuperSport Park in Centurion on December 26. The upcoming Test series will be India’s second in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle. Ahead of the much-awaited Test series against South Africa, here are the top three players who have the most wickets.
Javagal Srinath – 64
Javagal Srinath, one of India’s fastest-ever bowlers, marked a transformative era for Indian pace bowling during his career. In the 13 Tests he played against South Africa, Srinath showcased his prowess by dismissing 64 batters. Remarkably, he stands as the second-highest wicket-taker for India in South Africa, having claimed 43 wickets in 16 innings.
One of Srinath’s memorable contributions for India against the Proteas came in November 1996 in Ahmedabad. During this match, he played a pivotal role in India’s impressive 64-run victory. He picked up two wickets in the first innings and claimed a remarkable six-wicket haul in the second to steer the hosts to a resounding victory.
Dale Steyn – 65
Dale Steyn is widely acclaimed as one of the best pacers in the history of the game. Throughout his illustrious career, he struck fear into the hearts of opposition batters, showcasing a lethal combination of pace, accuracy, and swing. His prowess in Test cricket against India is particularly noteworthy, as the right-arm pacer has an impressive tally of 65 wickets in just 14 matches. His remarkable achievements against India include five instances of claiming five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket haul.
Anil Kumble – 84
Anil Kumble, the former leg spinner from India, stands atop the list of bowlers with the most wickets in Test matches between India and South Africa. Making his Test debut against England in August 1990, Kumble proved to be one of India’s finest bowlers in the longest format of the game. Kumble boasts a remarkable record of 619 wickets in 132 Test matches, at an average of 29.65 and an economy rate of 2.69.
He holds the distinction of being one of the only three bowlers to take 10 wickets in an innings of a Test match, a feat he achieved against arch-rivals Pakistan in Delhi in 1999. Notably, Kumble bagged 84 wickets in 21 Tests against South Africa. Additionally, he holds the record for the most wickets by any bowler in South Africa, having claimed 45 wickets in 24 innings.
