India's top 5 highest wicket-takers in pink ball Tests ahead of 2nd BGT 2024-25 Test ft. Ravichandran Ashwin
After an emphatic victory against Australia in the first Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth, India will be hoping to pile the agony on the hosts once they take the field in Adelaide for the day-night Test starting on December 6.
After a shambolic 0-3 series drubbing at the hands of New Zealand at home, many former cricketers and pundits had written off India but you always write off the Asian giants at your own peril. They were back with a bang in Perth, registering their biggest victory by runs on Australian soil.
However, the day-night Test will be a totally different challenge altogether. India last played a pink ball Test against Sri Lanka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium back in 2022. They have stopped playing day-night Tests at home, which gives them very little exposure to the relatively new players against the pink ball.
So far they have played four day-night Tests, having won three and losing one. Their first tryst against the pink ball was against Bangladesh at the iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in 2019, which they won comfortably.
Their only defeat came against Australia in their previous tour when they were bowled out for just 36 in the second innings. They will be looking to set their record straight and take a 2-0 lead going into the third Test and forget the blemishes of the pink ball Test from the last four.
Now let us have a look at the top five wicket-takers for India from pink ball Tests.
#5 Ishant Sharma - 10 wickets
The towering fast bowler made an immediate impact with the pink ball, bagging nine wickets in India’s first pink ball Test against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata back in 2019. The extra lacquer worked wonders for Ishant as the Bangladeshi batters failed to cope with the extra bounce and the swing.
He bagged a fifer in the first innings followed by four wickets in the second innings to set up a resounding win for India. Ishant played just one more pink ball Test against England at Ahmedabad. He only bagged a solitary wicket on a surface which was dominated by the spinners.
#4 Jasprit Bumrah - 10 wickets
Arguably the greatest fast bowler to have ever graced the game of cricket, Jasprit Bumrah has a pretty impressive record in pink-ball Tests having taken 10 wickets in three outings at an average of 14.50. Bumrah’s first pink ball encounter came against the Aussies back in Adelaide back in 2020.
He bagged two wickets in the first innings and went wicketless in the next match against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Bumrah was at his stupendous best during the pink ball Test against Sri Lanka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in 2022.
He orchestrated Sri Lanka’s first-innings collapse, finishing with figures of 5/24 to skittle out Sri Lanka for just 109 runs. Bumrah bagged three more in the second innings as India went on to register a massive 238-run win. Bumrah will be India’s go-to bowler once the Adelaide Test starts on December 6.
#3 Umesh Yadav - 11 wickets
Umesh Yadav might not be on the Indian Test selection radar due to the emergence of several young fast bowlers, but he has certainly made a significant impact for India in Tests at home. Umesh is third in the list for most wickets by an India in pink ball Tests.
He has played two day-night Tests so far. Umesh was part of India’s playing XI in their first-ever pink ball Test against Bangladesh in 2019. Umesh bagged three important wickets in the first innings and backed it up with a five-wicket haul in the second innings as India secured a resounding win by an innings and 46 runs.
His next assignment was against Australia in 2020 and the speedster didn't disappoint. He took three crucial wickets in the first innings to play a significant role in Australia getting bowled out for 191. Umesh went wicketless in the second innings as Australia chased down the target of 90 with consummate ease.
#2 Axar Patel - 14 wickets
The left-arm spinner holds an incredible record in pink-ball Tests. Axar has bagged 14 wickets in two night test days so far, with an astounding average of 9.14. He remains the only Indian bowler with a ten-wicket haul in a Test with the pink ball.
He was given the opportunity against England in the Ahmedabad Test in 2021. Axar wreaked havoc and bagged 11 wickets in the Test to help India register a comprehensive 10-wicket win. He finished with figures of 6/38 in the first innings to start England’s slide.
Axar again looked lethal in the second innings, bagging another fifer as England was bowled out for just 81. India wasn't troubled in the second innings as they chased down the paltry target inside the eighth over.
#1 Ravichandran Ashwin - 18 wickets
One of the most skilful off-spinners in world cricket, Ravichandran Ashwin holds the record for most wickets by an Indian in day-night Tests. Ashwin’s tryst with the pink ball didn't quite start the way he would have wanted. The Tamil Nadu-born cricketer went wicketless in India’s inaugural pink ball Test against Bangladesh.
He showed his class against Australia in the Adelaide Test back in 2020. He bagged 5 wickets in the match, including figures of 4/55 in the first innings. Ashwin dominated the likes of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, and the Indian captain and coach might be tempted to include him in the playing XI in the second Test at Adelaide.
He went on to bag seven wickets in the Ahmedabad Test against England in 2021. The off-spinner picked three wickets in the first innings and followed it up with four in the second essay, but it was Axar’s heroics that overshadowed his performance.
He bagged six more wickets against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru in 2022 and will look to continue the great work if given a chance in Adelaide.