7 bowlers to take 5-wicket-hauls in all three formats 

Kudeep Yadav became the newest minted member to the club

Two days and two sessions - pretty much the duration of the first Test between India and West Indies at the Saurashtra Cricket Association in Rajkot. The game had lots of positives for the Indian team in both the departments - batting and bowling. The match saw three centurions and a five-wicket haul from the Indian camp.

Indian won the toss and posted a mammoth of 649 for 9 (declared) in their first innings. In reply to that, the Windies were bundled out for a meager 181 in their first innings which forced the Indian team to enforce the follow-on. The second innings story was no different for the Windies as they were deflated for just 196 runs in their second innings which handed India their biggest victory against them - an innings and 272 runs.

There were plenty of highlights for India from the game, be it the debutant Prithvi Shaw, the skipper Virat Kohli, the home boys Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja, Ravi Ashwin, Pant, and last but not the least Kuldeep Yadav who registered his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket.

With the five-wicket haul, Kuldeep became a part of many records. He also became the first and the only bowler in the world to take five-wicket hauls in all three formats of the game in a calendar year. Apart from that, he also became one of the very few bowlers to have taken five-wicket hauls in all the three formats of the game.

Thus, in this feature, we will have a look at all the seven players, including Kuldeep, to have achieved the feat of registering a five-wicket haul in all the three formats of the game.


#7 Kuldeep Yadav (Tests: 1, ODIs: 1, and T20Is: 1)

England & India Net Sessions

Kuldeep Yadav had a fair run against the Windies in the first innings of the first Test. He produced a fantastic spell to run through the West Indian batting line-up in the second innings by registering his best figures in Test cricket.

In the process, he also became the only first bowler in the world to have taken five-wicket hauls in the all the three formats in a single calendar year. Besides, he also became only the seventh bowler to have achieved the feat of five-wicket hauls in all the three formats of the game.

#6 Imran Tahir (Tests: 2, ODIs: 3, and T20Is: 1)

Pakistan v South Africa - ICC Champions Trophy

Another spinner to have a place on the list is a leg-spinner from South Africa - Imran Tahir. With two five-wicket hauls in Tests, three in ODIs, and one five-wicket haul in T20Is, Tahir is one of the few members to have his name on the list.

Interestingly, Tahir is the only South African to have a place on the list. It is noteworthy to mention that Imran Tahir is the oldest member of this club. His recent five-wicket haul came against Zimbabwe where he took six wickets which also included a hat-trick.


#5 Umar Gul (Tests: 4, ODIs: 2, and T20Is: 2)

New Zealand v Pakistan - 2nd T20

The only Pakistani bowler to have a place on the list is a fast bowler from Peshawar - Umar Gul. Known for his fierce bowling skills, Gul accounted for as many as eight five-wicket hauls in international cricket - four in Tests, two in ODIs, and two in T20Is.

With two five-wicket hauls in T20Is, Gull calls for the most number of five-wicket hauls in T20Is tied with Ajantha Mendis. Gul has scalped 85 wickets in T20Is which also makes him the only third-highest wicket-taker in the history of T20I cricket.

#4 Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Tests: 5, ODIs: 1, and T20Is: 1)

South Africa v India - T20 International

The first ever Indian bowler to have made this list is Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The Indian death overs specialist has recorded four five-wicket hauls in Tests, one in ODIs, and one in T20Is. Kumar has now become one of the mainstays in the Indian team across all the formats.

He was the latest member of the club before Kuldeep Yadav. Bhuvi registered his name in the list after an excellent five-wicket haul against South Africa in the T20I series scheduled in February 2018. With that, he also became the second Indian after Yuzvendra Chahal to have taken a five-wicket haul in T20I cricket. Kuldeep was the newest and the third Indian member to have his name on the list of five-wicket hauls in T20Is.


#3 Ajantha Mendis (Tests: 4, ODIs: 3, and T20Is: 2)

Australia v Sri Lanka - Twenty20: Game 2

Ajantha Mendis, a mystery spinner from Sri Lanka, also finds a place on the list. Mendis has taken a total of nine five-wicket hauls in the history of international cricket. He has taken the five wicket-hauls in the ratio of 4:3:2 in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is, respectively.

In addition to that, he also is the first and only Sri Lankan spinner to have achieved the feat. No other Sri Lankan spinner acquires a place on the list. He also remains the only spinner to have as many as two five-wicket hauls in T20Is. He was the first Sri Lankan to have minted his name on this very list of five-wicket hauls in all the three formats.

#2 Lasith Malinga (Tests: 3, ODIs: 7, and T20Is: 1)

Sri Lanka v Pakistan - ICC Champions Trophy

Another Sri Lankan to feature on the list is a legendary fast bowler - Lasith Malinga. He accounts for a total of 11 five-wicket hauls in the history of international cricket - three in Tests, seven in ODIs, and one in T20Is.

On 1st October 2012, Malinga became the only third player to have his name on the list. Besides that, he also became the second Sri Lankan to have written his name on the list.


#1 Tim Southee (Tests: 7, ODIs: 2, and T20Is: 1)

New Zealand v England - 4th ODI

Tim Southee, a fast bowling specialist from New Zealand, became the first ever bowler to have his name on this list. Southee has registered ten five-wicket hauls across all the three formats with a haul of seven in Tests, two in ODIs, and one in T20Is.

He also remains the only New Zealander to have his name on the list. With as many as seven five wicket-hauls in Tests and 220 Test wickets to his name, Southee has taken the fourth most number of wicket in Test cricket among all the New Zealand bowlers.

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Edited by Sarah Waris