Bowlers who have 100 or more Test wickets against India
While most bowlers dream of picking up 100 Test wickets in their entire career, there are others who have managed to reach that figure against a single opposition. This usually happens when someone has been playing the game for a long period of time, thus getting the opportunity to play against a particular opposition frequently.
Ravichandran Ashwin recently reached the landmark of 100 wickets in the longest format against Australia, an opposition that he has loved playing against, especially at home. He reached that milestone in the ongoing second Test against Australia at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
A few bowlers have enjoyed playing against India as well, with three having taken at least 100 wickets against the side over their careers in the format.
Let's take a look at the three players who are a part of this elusive list.
Bowlers who have 100 or more Test wickets against India
#1 Nathan Lyon
Australia's greatest-ever off-spinner, Nathan Lyon, is the latest player to join the list, reaching the landmark in the first innings of the ongoing match against India in Delhi.
He had a fantastic outing, returning figures of 5-67, dismissing KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Shreyas Iyer and KS Bharat, as the visitors reduced India to 139/7 at one point.
Century for Lyon!
He becomes just the third bowler to capture 100 Test wickets against India.
#INDvAUS #NathanLyon #BorderGavaskarTrophy2023 https://t.co/afHylPbW4n
He also holds the record for the most five-wicket hauls against India in the format. Overall, Lyon has 466 wickets to his name in 117 matches.
#2 James Anderson
England's James Anderson has also taken more than 100 wickets against India in the format. He has played 35 matches against India, picking up 139 wickets at a phenomenal average of 24.90. He has claimed five or more wickets in an innings on six occasions.
Apart from India, Anderson has taken 100 or more wickets against Australia and South Africa as well.
#3 Muttiah Muralidharan
Muttiah Muralidharan, the leading wicket taker in the history of the game, enjoyed a lot of success against the Indians. He claimed 105 wickets in 22 matches at an average of 32.62. He has also picked up seven five-wicket hauls against them.
Apart from India, the Sri Lankan great has taken 100 or more wickets against England and South Africa as well. In all, he has taken 800 wickets in the longest format over the course of an 18-year-long career.
Muralidharan will soon be seen in the cash-rich Indian Premier League as the spin bowling and strategy coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad.