Discover the top Indian bowlers with the best Test averages, having taken a minimum of 100 wickets. Test cricket is considered the highest level of cricket because it challenges players for five whole days. Bowlers face the toughest tests, as they have to bowl long spells and field for hours. This is what earns them fans, respect, and personal satisfaction from their performances.
Every bowler dreams of playing Test cricket, taking five-wicket or even ten-wicket hauls, and helping their team win. Bowling averages show how well a bowler can take wickets in a Test match. A better average means a bigger impact on the game. Indian bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Mohammed Shami have been shining in recent years.
Legendary Indian bowlers like Kapil Dev, Bishan Singh Bedi, and Anil Kumble paved the way for future players. At OneCricket, we highlight the importance of bowling averages in Test cricket and showcase the Indian bowlers with the best ones.
5. Jasprit Bumrah – 20.81
Having a bowler like Jasprit Bumrah always gives a team an advantage because of his skills and how well he uses them. Bumrah has been successful in all three formats of the game with his different strategies. With the red ball, he has been outstanding for India in recent years, and his stats prove it.
In just 33 Tests, Bumrah has taken 146 wickets, including nine five-wicket hauls. His average of 20.81 makes him the most dangerous Indian bowler. This means he can take a wicket every 20 deliveries in Tests. He leads the list of Indian bowlers with the best averages, having taken at least 100 wickets.
4. Ravichandran Ashwin – 23.79
In the last ten years, Ravichandran Ashwin has been one of India’s main bowlers for taking wickets. His experience and skills make him a key part of India’s spin attack. In red-ball cricket, he often surprises even the best batters, especially in spinning conditions.
With 496 wickets in just 96 Test matches, Ashwin ranks second among Indian bowlers for the best bowling averages in Test cricket. His average of 23.79 means he takes a wicket roughly every 23 balls, or about every four overs.
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3. Ravindra Jadeja – 24.42
Ravindra Jadeja is one of the best all-rounders in the world and a huge asset to Indian cricket. His ability to bowl straight at the stumps helps him dismiss top batters. In Test cricket, he knows how to bowl at the right lengths and make the most of the conditions, which makes him even more dangerous.
Jadeja can bowl long spells and take wickets in groups. With 280 wickets in just 69 Test matches, he is the kind of all-rounder every team wants. He ranks third among Indian bowlers for the best bowling averages, with an average of 24.42. He takes wickets regularly, usually after every four overs in Test cricket, no matter the conditions.
2. Mohammed Shami – 27.71
Not all seam bowlers have the skills that Mohammed Shami has. Recently, he has been very dangerous and has done great for India in both ODIs and Tests. With perfect seam position, he can make the ball move in both directions and is excellent with his lengths, especially with the red ball.
Shami ranks fourth on the list with a bowling average of 27.71. His speed and accuracy have helped him take 229 wickets in Test cricket, averaging a wicket every four and a half overs.
1. Bishan Singh Bedi – 28.71
Bishan Singh Bedi was one of India’s best slow left-arm bowlers. He took 266 wickets in Tests and won many matches for India. His skillful bowling helped him take wickets from top batters and entertain fans.
He has the lowest bowling average among India’s best bowlers, with an average of 28.71. Throughout his career, he took a wicket every 28 balls in Test cricket. Bedi is considered a legend in Indian spin bowling, with 14 five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul.
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