3 best bowling figures for India in ODIs 

Having played 1,005 ODIs (most by any country), the Indian cricket team are easily one of the best-performing nations to have ever played the game.

The Indian team has never been short of a potent batting attack but bowling has been an area of weakness for them over a few periods. However, some legendary bowlers have also represented the Men in Blue over the years.

The Indian bowling department has been graced by greats like Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and many others. However, the record of having the best bowling figures in ODIs rests with Sri Lankan legend Chaminda Vaas, when he took 8 for 19 against Zimbabwe in 2001.

Interestingly enough, no Indian bowler has ever picked up more than six wickets in an ODI. On that note, let's look at the three best bowling performances by Indian bowlers in ODI history.

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#3. Jasprit Bumrah - 6 for 19 vs England, 2022

Jasprit Bumrah had a terrific English summer

The latest entrant on the list, Jasprit Bumrah recently broke Ashish Nehra's record to register India's third-best bowling figures in one-dayers.

During the first ODI of the recently-concluded three-match ODI series between England and the Men in Blue, Bumrah registered his career-best figure on the back of a devastating fast bowling display at the Kennington Oval, London.

After winning the toss and electing to bowl first, the Indian pace attack, led by Bumrah, steamrolled English batters in overcast conditions.

Bumrah gave India a dream start, sending Roy and Root packing for ducks in his first over, a double-wicket maiden. The right-armer's next over produced just a single run before he removed Jonny Bairstow (7). Bumrah then trounced Liam Livingstone (0) for the third time in his career, inflicting England a fatal blow.

Utilizing the conditions, Bumrah not only swung the ball in the air but also generated movement off the surface. He returned to clean up the tail, destroying the stumps of Brydon Carse and David Willey to finish with exceptional figures of 6/19 from 7.2 overs.

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#2. Anil Kumble - 6 for 12 vs West Indies, 1993

Anil Kumble was India's best spinner during the 90s and early 2000s

It was the final of the Hero Cup 1993 between India and the West Indies when a 23-year old Anil Kumble set a record by claiming figures of 6 for 12, which was the country's best bowling figure at the time.

The leg-spinner was unplayable as he ran through a hapless Windies batting line-up. Chasing a gettable 226 to lift the Hero Cup at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, Richie Richardson’s team succumbed to 123 all out.

Kumble was too good for Roland Holder, cleaning him up for 15. Continuing his demolition job, he had Jimmy Adams (4) caught by skipper Mohammad Azharuddin in the covers. No Caribbean batter was able to read the wily, lanky spinner, who ripper apart their entire middle-order, lower-order and tailenders.

Carl Hooper (23) was trapped lbw as he played across the line, while Winston Benjamin (3) was too late on a flipper and was bowled. Curtly Ambrose (0) was also cleaned up in his attempt to slog Kumble. The winning moment came when the leggie got through Anderson Cummins’ (1) defense with a yorker.

West Indies were 101-4 when Kumble's destruction cleaned up the rest of their batting line-up inside the next 22 runs.

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#1. Stuart Binny - 6 for 4 vs Bangladesh, 2014

Stuart Binny steamrolled Bangladesh batting line-up

It might come as a surprise to a few, but Stuart Binny, who has played just 14 ODIs in his career, holds the record of having the best bowling figures by an Indian in 50-over cricket.

Annihilating Bangladesh's batting unit, Binny broke Kumble's 21-year old record and returned with magical numbers of 6 for 4 in 4.4 overs.

During the second ODI of the Men in Blue's tour to Bangladesh in Dhaka, the visitors' backs were against the wall as they were bowled out for just 105 in the first innings. With Bangladesh at 44-2, needing just 62 more runs, the visitors required a miracle of sorts to turn the game in their favor.

Stand-in skipper Suresh Raina handed the ball to Stuart Binny in the ninth over. In the space of 28 deliveries, he left the Bangladesh dressing room and fans in utter disbelief. Utilizing the swing on offer, the right-armer first broke the partnership between Mushfiqur Rahim and Mohammad Mithun before dismissing Mahmudullah on a golden duck.

Binny wreaked havoc on the Bangladeshi batters and took three more wickets in the space of just six balls. Binny's mesmerizing spell bowled Bangladesh out for a paltry 56 runs (Bangladesh's lowest ever ODI total) with the visitors winning by 47 runs (D/L method).