India's top 3 highest wicket-takers in Tests at Adelaide Oval before BGT 2024-25 ft. Ravichandran Ashwin
India take on Australia in the second Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Adelaide Oval, starting on Friday, December 6. The visitors have already gone 1-0 up in the five-match series, and will be keen on extending their lead with a win in this game, which will be played under lights.
The Aussies have not been at their best, but one can expect the placid surface of the Adelaide Oval to come to their rescue. Over generations, this is one venue that has also favored Indians the most given the similarities it exhibits to the ones they get back home in the subcontinent.
Needless to say, India's bowlers will have to be at their best if they intend to win this game. As in any Test, India's ability to pick up 20 wickets will be crucial, and the hosts will have to battle with their fair share of challenges to contend with the danger posed by the visiting side's bowlers.
On that note, in this listicle, we take a look at India's top three wicket-takers in Tests at the Adelaide Oval:
#3 Ajit Agarkar (13 wickets)
Former India seamer and current national selector Ajit Agarkar comes third on this list thanks to the 13 wickets he picked up against Australia at the Adelaide Oval in two Tests between 1999 and 2003. Agarkar was a medium pacer who got the ball to move both ways after pitching, posing considerable threat to batters.
Agarkar's highest was the 6-41 he picked up in the second innings of the famous Adelaide Test in 2003 which India won thanks to Rahul Dravid's heroics with the bat (233 and 72 not out). This performance of his in one of India's most special overseas Test wins will be remembered over generations.
#2 Ravichandran Ashwin (16 wickets)
Current India spinner - the iconic Ravichandran Ashwin comes second on this list thanks to 16 scalps at the Adelaide Oval in three Tests, one each in 2012, 2018 and 2020-21. His highest is 4-55 in the pink-ball Test of the latter series.
Ashwin is known to be one of the best off-spinners in world cricket, if not the best, and his statistics back this tall claim up. The 38-year-old has picked up 536 wickets in the 105 Tests that he has played so far in his career.
In the 1103 balls he has bowled at the Adelaide Oval, Ashwin has conceded just 487 runs, which amounts to an economy rate of 2.64. The Tamil Nadu spinner also boasts of an impressive average of 30.43 at this venue.
#1 Kapil Dev (19 wickets)
The legendary Kapil Dev comes first on this list owing to the 19 wickets he picked up for India at the Adelaide Oval in the three matches he played there between 1981 and 1992. The highlight of Dev's performances at the Adelaide Oval was the 8-106 he picked up against the hosts in the first Test of the 1985-86 series.
The former India captain had an impressive average of 23.10 at this venue and also bowled at a miserly economy rate of 2.67. What is even more impressive is that Dev conceded just 439 runs in the six innings he bowled at the Adelaide Oval. He was renowned for getting the ball to swing away from the right-hander and also contributed immensely with the bat in hand.