India have produced champion bowlers in Test cricket throughout its 92-year journey in the long format.
From the early days of stalwarts Vinoo Mankad, Bishan Singh Bedi and Kapil Dev to the modern era of Anil Kumble, R Ashwin and Zaheer Khan, several bowlers have racked up impressive numbers throughout their Test career. While India’s current pace attack ranks among the best they have ever produced, Kapil Dev still leads the seamers’ charts with 434 wickets. The legendary Kumble continues to hold the record for most Test wickets for India even after 16 years of his retirement. Kumble scalped 619 Test wickets from 132 appearances, the fourth-highest ever in Test cricket.
Meanwhile, off-spin wizard Ravichandran Ashwin is closing on Kumble’s tally, having reached 522 wickets in 101 games. Among active players, Ashwin is followed by left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who is one short of completing 300 wickets. Jadeja can become only the seventh Indian to cross 300 Test wickets during the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur.
Mohammad Shami (229) and Jasprit Bumrah (164) are the other active India players within the top 15.
Here is a look at the top 15 highest Test wicket-takers for India
| Player | Span | Matches | Wickkts | Best Bowling | Ave | SR | 5w |
| Anil Kumble | 1990-2008 | 132 | 619 | 10/74 | 29.65 | 65.99 | 35 |
| R Ashwin | 2011-2024 | 101 | 522 | 7/59 | 23.7 | 50.51 | 37 |
| Kapil Dev | 1978-1994 | 131 | 434 | 9/83 | 29.64 | 63.91 | 23 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 1998-2015 | 103 | 417 | 8/84 | 32.46 | 68.53 | 25 |
| Ishant Sharma | 2007-2021 | 105 | 311 | 7/74 | 32.4 | 61.6 | 11 |
| Zaheer Khan | 2000-2014 | 92 | 311 | 7/87 | 32.94 | 60.4 | 11 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 2012-2024 | 73 | 299 | 7/42 | 23.98 | 58.1 | 13 |
| Bishan Singh Bedi | 1966-1979 | 67 | 266 | 7/98 | 28.71 | 80.31 | 14 |
| B Chandrasekhar | 1964-1979 | 58 | 242 | 8/79 | 29.74 | 65.96 | 16 |
| Javagal Srinath | 1991-2002 | 67 | 236 | 8/86 | 30.49 | 64 | 10 |
| Mohammed Shami | 2013-2023 | 64 | 229 | 6/56 | 27.71 | 50.28 | 6 |
| Erapalli Prasanna | 1962-1978 | 49 | 189 | 8/76 | 30.38 | 75.94 | 10 |
| Umesh Yadav | 2011-2023 | 57 | 170 | 6/88 | 30.95 | 52.81 | 3 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 2018-2024 | 37 | 164 | 6/27 | 20.51 | 44.56 | 10 |
| Vinoo Mankad | 1946-1959 | 44 | 162 | 8/52 | 32.32 | 90.65 | 8 |
