India's top 5 highest wicket-takers in Tests in England ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 series ft. Anil Kumble

England take on India in the first of the five-match Test series on Friday, June 20, at Headingley in Leeds before the action moves to the rest of the country. The series, which was set to be renamed the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy before retaining the name of the Pataudi Trophy, will be contested with a lot of gravitas by both teams.

India are in a state of transition after the retirements of Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, and are captained by 25-year-old Shubman Gill. England will be keen on upsetting India's balance by targeting a new-look team.

Bowlers will be the ones who will rule the roost in this series and who will be responsible for turning the tide in their respective teams' favour. In this piece, we take a look at India's top five highest wicket-takers in Tests in England:

#5 Bishan Singh Bedi - 35 wickets

The late Bishan Singh Bedi comes fifth on this list with 35 wickets in 19 Test innings in England. Bedi, a slow left-arm orthodox bowler, was one of the best of his generation and plied his trade between 1966 and 1979. In overall Tests against England, Bedi finished with 85 wickets in 36 innings.

Bedi was renowned for his flight in the air and his ability to get the batters to draw forward with the false hope of playing a shot before being foxed by the length and turn of the ball. His greatest ability was to deceive batters in the air without changing much in his action. He finished with 266 wickets in 62 Tests.

#4 Anil Kumble - 36 wickets

Former India captain Anil Kumble, one of the greatest-ever leg spinners to have played the game, comes fourth on this list with 36 Test wickets in England. Kumble is fourth on the list of overall highest wicket-takers in India-England Tests as well, with 92 scalps. In England, his accuracy often won the day for him.

An unusual leg-spinner who relied more on his pace, line and length rather than turn, Kumble was a good judge of a batter's weaknesses and tried to exploit them fully. As captain, he became famous for leading India to a win in the 2008 Perth Test as well as maintaining a modicum of decency in the aftermath of the Monkeygate scandal in Sydney in the same series. He is the fourth leading wicket-taker of all time in Tests, with 619 scalps.

#3 Jasprit Bumrah - 37 wickets

Jasprit Bumrah comes third on this list after having already picked up 37 wickets in Tests in England. He is the only name on this list who is currently a part of the Indian setup. Bumrah, known for his reverse swing in Test cricket, pairs an unusual action with dedication above and beyond the call of duty.

The Gujarat speedster is known for getting the ball to tail back into right-handers when it gets old, and troubles them with his seam movement when it is new. He has already picked up 60 Tests against England in his career, and sits comfortably with an overall scalp of 205 in 45 matches so far. He will be a vital cog in the Indian bowling department in the upcoming Test series.

#2 Kapil Dev - 43 wickets

Former India captain Kapil Dev, most renowned for leading the Men in Blue to victory against the might of the West Indies in the final of the 1983 ICC ODI World Cup, comes second on this list. He picked up 43 wickets in his career in England. Kapil Dev accounted for 434 Test wickets in his career, which stretched from 1978 to 1994.

Born with the outswinger, Dev worked exceedingly hard at his other skills, such as getting the ball to come back in and working with it even when it got old. His action lent him a lot of solidity, while his skills with the bat made him a proper all-rounder who could be trusted upon to bail his team out in times of trouble.

#1 Ishant Sharma - 48 wickets

Ishant Sharma of Gujarat Titans warms up before the start of the 2025 IPL match between Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad at Narendra Modi Stadium on May 2, 2025, in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

Ishant Sharma comes first on this list for having taken 48 wickets in Tests in England. Best known for his starring performance in the Lord's Test in 2014 when he returned with 7-74, Sharma has picked up a total of 311 wickets in 105 Tests in his career. His pace and bounce make him a tricky customer to handle.

Having burst onto the scene with brilliant showings against Australia in 2007-08, along with making the legendary Ricky Ponting his bunny, Sharma continued to lead the Indian bowling attack with aplomb until the coming of age of Jasprit Bumrah. His consistency and hard work made him a treasure to behold.

Sharma, who has not yet retired from international cricket, continues to be a force to reckon with in domestic circles and was last seen turning up for Gujarat Titans in the 2025 Indian Premier League. Sharma also holds the ninth position in overall wickets in India-England Tests, with 67 scalps to his name.