Bowling becomes an extremely difficult task in the T20 format. In T20 cricket, a bowler can only bowl a maximum of 4 overs in a match and must provide his best effort in this limited time. Batsmen also strive to score runs at a high strike rate because there are only 20 overs to play. This makes bowlers’ jobs more difficult, as even top-ranked bowlers are frequently hammered for huge runs in T20Is.
So far, certain Indian bowlers have put up outstanding performances in T20 cricket. Despite the difficulties, they have picked up a lot of wickets in the T20 format at both the international and domestic levels.
In this article, we look at the names of Indian cricket team bowlers with the highest wicket-takers in T20I Internationals.
1. Yuzvendra Chahal – 63
The leg-spinner is currently one of the most astute bowlers in international cricket. With his chess knowledge, it’s clear that he can easily outsmart the batsman and take wickets. In 49 T20 international matches, Chahal has 63 wickets. He was also the first Indian bowler to take five wickets in a Twenty20 international match. His T20I bowling average of 25.4 says much about his ability to take wickets.
2. Jasprit Bumrah – 59
Bumrah is a gift to Indian cricket from the IPL. His death-bowling prowess and game-reading abilities are unrivaled. In the shortest format of the game, he is a godsend for any captain. Bumrah has 59 wickets in 50 T20I games so far, with an amazing bowling average of 20.25.
3. Ravichandran Ashwin – 52
Ashwin became the first Indian bowler to reach 50 wickets in T20 Internationals. The off-spinner from Tamil Nadu made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe in July 2010. Ashwin is considered as one of the game’s sharpest operators, with a bag full of variations. However, during the 2017 West Indies series, Ashwin was dropped from India’s limited-overs squad. Despite missing several games, he remains on our list of India’s most wickets in T20 internationals. In 46 T20I matches thus far, Ashwin has claimed 52 wickets at a bowling average of 22.94.
4. Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 49
Bhuvneshwar Kumar has 50 T20 international wickets to his name in 51 appearances, with an impressive economy rate of 6.90. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is also the first Indian cricketer to capture five wickets in all formats. Over the years, he has been one of Team India’s most important bowlers.
5. Hardik Pandya – 42
Hardik Pandya is ranked fifth on this list. So far, the right-arm seamer has appeared in 49 T20I matches. He has 42 wickets at an average of 26.45 in 45 innings. He has an average economy of 8.17, indicating that Pandya bowls in death overs with a better economy. In T20Is, the all-rounder has taken 18 wickets while bowling in the final overs. When bowling in death overs, the Indian bowler has an economy rate of 6.61.
