India will take on Australia in a highly anticipated four-match Border-Gavaskar Test series starting on February 9.
The first Test will be held at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. Delhi, Dharamsala, and Ahmedabad will host the next three games. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) started in 1996 and has seen 15 series played between the two teams.
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Here is the a look at the top five bowlers in the storied history of the series between two Test heavyweights.
ANIL KUMBLE
Anil Kumble during day one of the second Test between India and Australia at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on October 14, 2004, in Chennai. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Anil Kumble leads the charts for most Test wickets against in the series. Kumble took 111 wickets at an average of 30.32 in 38 innings. In addition, the former Indian captain has the most number of five-wicket hauls (10) in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Fourth on the list of bowlers with most wickets in Tests, Kumble recorded his best figures (eight for 141) against Australia in the first innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), where Tendulkar scored 241 runs to draw the last Test and the series in 2003-04.
| Player | Mat. | Inns. | Wkts. | Avg. | SR | BBI | BBM | Econ. | 5wI | 10wM |
| Anil Kumble | 20 | 38 | 111 | 30.32 | 58.7 | 8/141 | 13/181 | 3.09 | 10 | 2 |
HARBHAJAN SINGH
Harbhajan Singh of India during day four of the second Test match between India and Australia at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on October 12, 2010, in Bangalore. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Harbhajan Singh is ranked second among the leading wicket-takers in the series. In 35 innings, the off-spinner took 95 wickets at an average of 29.95. He also has the most 10-wicket match-hauls (three) in the BGT. Harbhajan’s best figures of 15 for 217 came in Chennai in March 2001, where he took seven for 133 in the first innings and eight for 84 in the second, propelling India to a thrilling two-wicket win over Australia. They are also the best match figures in a Test match between India and Australia.
| Player | Mat. | Inns. | Wkts. | Avg. | SR | BBI | BBM | Econ. | 5wI | 10wM |
| Harbhajan Singh | 18 | 35 | 95 | 29.95 | 61.1 | 8/84 | 15/217 | 2.94 | 7 | 3 |
NATHAN LYON
Australia’s Nathan Lyon in action at Melbourne Cricket Ground. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Nathan Lyon is the third bowler and only Australian to make the top five list of leading wicket-takers in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with 94 wickets in 41 innings at an average of 34.75. His best bowling figures of eight for 50 in an innings came in Bengaluru in 2017 on a turning track where Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin scalped six wickets each in either inning to script India’s famous 75-run win in the second Test.
| Player | Mat. | Inns. | Wkts. | Avg. | SR | BBI | BBM | Econ. | 5wI | 10wM |
| Nathan Lyon | 22 | 41 | 94 | 34.75 | 66.3 | 8/50 | 12/286 | 3.14 | 7 | 1 |
RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN
Ravichandran Ashwin during day three of the second Test between Australia and India at Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 28, 2020. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Ravichandran Ashwin’s 89 wickets in 34 innings place him fourth among leading wicket-takers in the BGT. The off-spinner scalped these wickets at an average of 31.48 and has the second-best economy rate of 2.72 among the top-five bowlers. Ashwin, the second-highest Test wicket-taker for India, registered his best bowling figures of seven for 103 against Australia in 2013 at his home ground in Chennai. India won that game by eight wickets.
| Player | Mat. | Inns. | Wkts. | Avg. | SR | BBI | BBM | Econ. | 5wI | 10wM |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 18 | 34 | 89 | 31.48 | 69.2 | 7/103 | 12/198 | 2.72 | 5 | 1 |
RAVINDRA JADEJA
Ravindra Jadeja of India celebrates against Australia during day four of the Third Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 29, 2018. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES
Ravindra Jadeja completes the top-five list with 63 wickets in just 22 innings. His average of 18.85 and economy rate of 2.22 is the best among the top-five leading wicket-takers in the BGT. His best bowling figures of six for 63 came in the first innings of the second Test in Bengaluru in 2017. India went on to win the game, and Jadeja’s 25 wickets in the series powered India to a 2-1 win.
| Player | Mat | Inns | Wkts | Avg | SR | BBI | BBM | Eco | 5wI | 10wM |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 12 | 22 | 63 | 18.85 | 50.7 | 6/63 | 9/178 | 2.22 | 3 | 0 |
Best bowling figures in an innings in Border-Gavaskar Trophy
- Nathan Lyon - 8 for 50
- Harbhajan Singh - 8 for 84
- Anil Kumble - 8 for 141
- Jason Krejza - 8 for 215
- Ravichandran Ashwin - 7 for 103
Best bowling figures in a match in Border-Gavaskar Trophy
- Harbhajan Singh - 15 for 217
- Anil Kumble - 13 for 181
- Steve O’Keefe - 12 for 70
- Ravichandran Ashwin - 12 for 198
- Nathon Lyon - 12 for 286
Most five-wicket hauls in an innings in Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Anil Kumble - 10 in 38 innings
Harbhajan Singh - 7 in 35 innings
Nathon Lyon - 7 in 41 innings
Ravichandran Ashwin - 5 in 34 innings
Josh Hazlewood - 4 in 28 innings
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