Top 5 Indians with most wickets in a Test series vs Australia ft. Jasprit Bumrah

Team India pacer Jasprit Bumrah was the standout performer of the 2024-25 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Although Australia won the series 3-1, Bumrah earned plaudits for his excellent performances across the globe.

The ace speedster finished with 32 wickets in five matches at an excellent average of 13.06 and deservedly won the Player of the Series award. He single-handedly led India's bowling unit and was unplayable on most occasions.

Bumrah's series-long performances have ignited the question of which Indian bowler has the most wickets in a Test series against Australia.

The two powerhouses of the sport have played 112 Tests between each other, with Australia taking the honors 48 times and India winning 33 matches. There have been several top-class performances by Indian bowlers in all these Tests.

On that note, let's take a look at the top 5 Indians with the most wickets in a Test series against Australia.

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#5 BS Chandrasekhar - 28 wickets

The former India leg-spinner is one of the few tweakers to succeed in Australia during the 1970s-80s. BS Chandrasekhar was one of the few star performers during India's tour down under during the 1977-78 series.

Chandrasekhar picked up 28 wickets across the series at an average of 25.14, including the best figures of 6/52 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He returned with identical figures in both innings of the Melbourne Test, as India secured a thumping 222-run victory.

Despite Chandrasekhar's heroics with the ball throughout the five-match affair, India lost the series 3-2.

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#4 Ravichandran Ashwin - 29 wickets

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. He has enjoyed the most success against Australia, having picked up 115 wickets - the most by an Indian bowler against the Aussies.

Ashwin enjoyed a remarkable outing against Australia during the 2013 series. The Tamil Nadu-born cricketer picked up 29 scalps in four Tests at an average of just over 20. He also registered four five-wicket hauls in the series and returned with best figures of 7/103 in Chennai.

Riding on Ashwin's bowling heroics, India inflicted a whitewash on Australia for the first time, winning the series 4-0.

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#3 Bishan Singh Bedi - 31 wickets

One of the early pioneers of left-arm spin bowling in India, Bishan Singh Bedi enjoyed a breakthrough moment when India visited Australian shores in 1977-78.

He was the highest wicket-taker in the series with 31 scalps in five matches at an average of 23.87. He registered the best bowling figures of 5/51 at the Gabba. The figure places him third in the list of most wickets picked by Indian bowlers in a Test series against Australia.

Bedia, who died in 2023, represented India in 67 Tests and took 266 wickets. He also played 10 ODIs and took seven wickets.

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#2 Harbhajan Singh - 32 wickets

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has the most wickets by an Indian spinner in a Test series against Australia. The Punjab-born cricketer took 32 wickets in four Tests at an average of 17 during the remarkable 2001 tour when the Aussies toured India.

After an average performance in the first Test of the series in Mumbai, Harbhajan took everyone by surprise in the second fixture at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. While the Test match is mostly known for Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman's marathon partnership, Harbhajan remained under the radar despite his exceptional bowling performance.

He became the first Indian bowler to pick up a Test hat-trick, having dismissed Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, and Shane Warne in three consecutive deliveries in that Test. He finished with 7/113 in that innings and followed it up with another six-wicket haul in the second essay.

Harbhajan's superb form continued even in the final Test in Chennai, where he scalped 15 wickets to guide India to a series win. He returned with 8/84 in the second innings, which is his best-ever figures in red-ball cricket.

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#1 Jasprit Bumrah - 32 wickets

The World No.1 fast bowler has once again proved that he is head and shoulders above his contemporaries. Jasprit Bumrah broke records with every performance throughout the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He became the highest wicket-taker among Indian bowlers in a Test series against Australia.

Bumrah returned with 32 wickets in nine innings at an average of 13.06, including the best figures of 6/76, which came in Brisbane. Bumrah picked up two four-wicket hauls and three five-wicket hauls in the process.

However, Bumrah suffered a back spasm midway through the final Test in Sydney and couldn't bowl in the second innings. Thus, he missed a good opportunity to add a few more wickets to his tally.