India's 3 highest wicket-takers in Tests in Kanpur ft. Harbhajan Singh

Team India unleashed a sensational all-round performance against a confident Bangladesh unit in the first Test at Chennai to win by 280 runs and take a 1-0 series lead. The two-match affair heads to the state of Uttar Pradesh where the teams will battle at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur in the second Test from September 27.

The venue has been notorious for high-scoring games, evidenced by 13 draws in 23 Test matches. However, in the ten Tests with a result, India have won seven and lost three.

The last time a Test was played at Kanpur was the first Test of a two-match series between India and New Zealand in 2021. On a pitch where run-scoring was a challenge, with both teams hovering around the 2.50 runs per over mark, the Test ended in a thrilling draw.

Chasing 298, New Zealand played out 98 overs with a score of 165/9 when bad light halted play on the final day, resulting in the draw.

Despite the track being predominantly batting-friendly over the years, several bowlers have also done extremely well at the venue. India's spin twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are fifth and ninth among the all-time wicket-takers in Tests in Kanpur.

While the duo could crack the top three in the upcoming Bangladesh clash, they aren't quite there yet, begging the question of who the top three wicket-takers are at Green Park in Kanpur.

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#3 Harbhajan Singh - 20 wickets

Harbhajan played a massive role in India's series-saving win against South Africa in 2008 [Credit: Getty]

Former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was often India's star performer in home Tests and his showing at Kanpur was no different.

The now-44-year-old picked up 20 wickets at the venue at an average of 23.85 in four red-ball outings. Harbhajan's first-ever Test there came against New Zealand in 1999.

The champion spinner bagged the lone wicket of Daniel Vettori in the first innings but wrecked New Zealand's batting in the second innings. Harbhajan returned with figures of 3/33, including the scalps of key batters - Craig Spearman, Stephen Fleming, and Adam Parore.

His heroics helped India bowl New Zealand out for 155 and they completed a simple run-chase of 82 with eight wickets in hand.

Harbhajan's second outing was against South Africa in 2004 when he picked up two wickets in each innings in a benign drawn game. His best Test performance at Kanpur came in his third match against South Africa in 2008.

With India needing a win to stave off a series defeat and finish on level terms at 1-1, Harbhajan picked up three wickets in the first innings, including the massive scalp of Jacques Kallis.

The off-spinner was even better in the second innings with figures of 4/44. He picked the key wickets of Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers to help India bowl the Proteas out for 121 and set up a comfortable chase of 62.

His final Test at Kanpur came against Sri Lanka in 2009, when he picked up five wickets in the match to help India win by an innings and 144 runs. Harbhajan removed Angelo Matthews in the first innings and Kumar Sangakkara in the second to help India bowl Sri Lanka out cheaply on both occasions.

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#2 Anil Kumble - 21 wickets

Kumble enjoyed tremendous success at Green Park during his illustrious Test career [Credit: Getty]

How can there be an Indian venue without India's all-time leading wicket-taker Anil Kumble in the top three? The former leg-spinner picked up an incredible 21 wickets in three Tests in Kanpur at an average of 19.76.

Kumble's first-ever Test match at the venue was against South Africa in 1996 when his 4/71 in the first innings helped India restrict their opponents to 177 and capture a 60-run lead.

The leggie picked up the lone but massive wicket of opener Andrew Hudson for 31 in the second innings to help India pull off a 280-run win.

One of Kumble's eight 10-wicket match hauls came in his second Test appearance at Kanpur. Playing against New Zealand in 1999, the legendary spinner picked up 4/67 in the first innings and followed that up with an even better 6/67 in the second innings.

Kumble's dominant showing helped India win by eight wickets and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.

His final Test at Kanpur came against South Africa in 2004 when he overcame a flat track to pick up figures of 6/131 in the first innings. However, Kumble went wicketless in the second innings as the Proteas escaped with a draw.

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#1 Kapil Dev - 25 wickets

Kapil Dev played as many as seven Tests in Kanpur [Credit: Getty]

Arguably India's greatest cricketer, Kapil Dev tops the list of most Test wickets taken by an Indian in Kanpur. The champion all-rounder played seven Tests at the venue, picking up 25 wickets at an average of 27.84.

Kapil picked up only the lone wicket in his first Test at the venue against the West Indies in 1979. However, he bounced back with back-to-back six-wicket matches against Australia and Pakistan in the same year.

While the West Indies and the Pakistan clashes ended in a draw, India won the Australia encounter by 153 runs.

Kapil played a Test at Kanpur three years later in 1982 but he picked up only two wickets in the lone innings against England.

His next Test outing at the venue was against the West Indies in 1983 - a few months after Kapil led India to the World Cup title against the same opponent. While the result was an innings defeat for India, the skipper picked up 4/99 in the first innings, including the massive scalps of Desmond Haynes and Viv Richards.

Another four-wicket haul in the first innings followed against England in 1985 before his final Test at Kanpur against Sri Lanka in 1986 fetched him two wickets in a drawn one-innings contest.

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