5 England bowlers with the most Test Wickets against India

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Root and his men would be rearing to go against India

England are all set to take on the visiting Indian team for the five match Test series starting from 1 August. Full-fledged preparations have been going on in both the camps as this promises to be one of those series that may go down to the wire. After a good start to the tour by the Indian team, they lost a bit of a way in the 50 overs leg of the tour, and will try and come back and clinch the Test series.

England on the other hand have improved as the tour has progressed, and despite trailing behind in the three match ODI Series, came back strongly to emerge as the eventual winner. That might just be the dose of motivation which the English side required before the start of the tests. Although there will be a few changes in the England Test squad, which has a good balance of youth and experience, the psychological advantage of coming off the back of a series win will always play a role.

India have to go into the Test series believing that it can win the series. It is true that the Indian Team has a few difficult selection decisions to make, but the team which goes out there in the middle shouldn’t doubt their ability while representing the country. It goes without saying that the Virat Kohli led Indian Team will play with an intent to win and will look to dominate the Englishmen.

Traditionally, India and England encounters have been seen as a battle between England bowlers and Indian batsmen. Here are five England bowlers with most Test wickets against India.


#5 Stuart Broad (2008-Present)

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Broad picked up 8/15 against Australia, his career best figures

The innocent looking boy has been one of England’s most successful bowlers. His ability to bounce the ball from the driest surfaces in the world gels really well the technical brilliance of his new ball bowling partner James Anderson. It is in this sense that Broad and Anderson complement each other really well, and have been leading the England Test attack for years now.

Broad’s most memorable performance came in the country’s biggest cricketing rivalry, the Ashes against Australia. Broad picked up 8 wickets for only 15 runs as the Aussies were bowled out for just 60 runs in the 4th Test that year.

Against India, Broad has picked up 54 wickets in 15 Tests at an average of 24.48, better than his career average of 28.89. Broad is still quite a force to reckon with, and will continue to be this series.

#4 Ian Botham (1979-1982)

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Botham has 59 wickets in 14 matches against India

Ian Botham is perhaps the most popular and leading cricketing personality in England. Before the English football really took the upward surge and in a pre-Beckham era, it was common to see English media talking about Botham as his career reached new heights and extended the horizon of impossibility a little further.

In the third Test of the Indian tour of England in 1982, Botham went on to register his career best figures picking up 8 wickets for just 34 runs.

Against India, Botham has 59 wickets in 14 matches, leaving aside the damage he did with the bat. Botham averaged 26.40 with the ball against the same opponent.

#3 Derek Underwood (1971-1982)

Derek in the year 1972
Derek Underwood

Although Indians are considered to be good players of spin bowling, Derek Underwood’s left arm spin proved to be too good for the Indian side on quite a few occasions. Due to his accuracy and sharpness, Derek earned the nickname “deadly” and was sometimes unplayable especially on rain affected pitches of England.

Underwood’s best bowling figures came against Australia way back in the year 1968 when he spun a web against the Australian batsmen at Lords.

Against India, Derek picked up 62 wickets in 20 games at an average of 27.40.

#2 Bob Willis (1974-1982)

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Willis's sheer determination took him to 325 Test Wickets

A courageous and brave fast bowler, Willis had to undergo surgery on both his knees at 26 years of age. Post-surgery, there was hardly a day he spent without pain. Yet it was his sheer determination to play for England that took him to 325 Test wicket at an average of just over 25.

His world famous 8/43 came against Australia, and helped them beat the Aussies in the Test atch in 1981.

Against India, Willis averaged 23.24, the best average in this list and picked up 62 wickets in 17 games.

#1 James Anderson (2006-Present)

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Anderson has 25 fifers to his name

Arguably the best English pacer, James Anderson’s secret of success is quite simple. Get the ball to move in and out of a good length and bowl it towards the off stump or just outside off. Easier said than done, however, Anderson has done it consistently over the years now and has 540 Test scalps to his name.

Along with Broad, Anderson has built a world class bowling partnership who on their day can rip apart the opposition in no time, as they have shown time and again. Anderson has 25 five-wicket hauls to his name, each of them exhibiting class and enviable skill sets.

Against India, Anderson has taken 86 wickets in 22 games, the most wickets by an English bowler against India. All the wickets at a healthy average of 27.27 makes Anderson such a champion bowler for England. With the way a few Indian batsmen have struggled in the practice game, Anderson will be licking his lips, sensing an opportunity to win yet another Test series for his country.

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Edited by Ben Winfield