The following insights focus on the best and worst bowling averages, strike rates, and economy rates achieved by Indian bowlers in the history of Test cricket.
Best Bowling Average for India in Tests
| Player | Innings | Average | Balls Bowled | Runs Conceded | Wickets Taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Axar Patel | 29 | 19.66 | 2660 | 1121 | 57 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 99 | 19.79 | 10031 | 4631 | 234 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | 32 | 22.42 | 2893 | 1704 | 76 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 200 | 24.00 | 27246 | 12891 | 537 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 167 | 25.11 | 20241 | 8741 | 348 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 37 | 26.09 | 3348 | 1644 | 63 |
| Mohammed Shami | 122 | 27.71 | 11515 | 6346 | 229 |
| Bishan Singh Bedi | 118 | 28.71 | 21364 | 7637 | 266 |
| Bapu Nadkarni | 65 | 29.07 | 9165 | 2559 | 88 |
| Subhash Gupte | 61 | 29.55 | 11284 | 4403 | 149 |
| Kapil Dev | 227 | 29.64 | 27740 | 12867 | 434 |
| Anil Kumble | 236 | 29.65 | 40850 | 18355 | 619 |
| Mohammed Siraj | 84 | 29.66 | 7007 | 4124 | 139 |
| Bhagwath Chandrasekhar | 97 | 29.74 | 15963 | 7199 | 242 |
Note: Bowlers who have bowled a minimum of 2000 balls are mentioned in the table.
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Key Insights on Best and Worst Bowling Averages for India in Test Cricket
Premier Bowling Averages in Indian Test Cricket
Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah are the two Indian bowlers with bowling averages below 20 in Test cricket.
Bumrah and Patel are also the two Indian bowlers to average below 20 on home soil in Tests.
Bumrah has the lowest bowling average in an overseas country among Indian bowlers in Tests. He averages 17.15 with 64 scalps in 23 innings in Australia.
Bumrah’s average of 17.15 in Australia is also the best bowling average by an Indian bowler against a Test team.
Anil Kumble has the lowest bowling average for India at a single venue in Test cricket. He averaged 16.79 while taking 58 wickets in 14 innings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
Indian Bowlers’ Performance in SENA Conditions (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia)
Axar Patel is the only bowler to average below 20 for India against SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) countries combined in Tests.
Jasprit Bumrah has the lowest bowling average in SENA conditions in Tests, averaging below 22 with more than 150 wickets.
Check: Most Test Wickets for India in SENA
Records in Bowling Metrics: Strike Rate and Economy
Kuldeep Yadav is the only bowler to maintain a strike rate below 40 for India in Test cricket (minimum 2000 balls bowled).
Bapu Nadkarni, who has an average of 29.07, has the lowest economy rate for India in Tests. He maintained an economy of 1.67 while taking 88 wickets in 65 innings.
Worst and Captaincy Averages
Bishan Singh Bedi has the best bowling average as a captain for India in Tests. While leading India in 22 Tests, he averaged 24.82 with 106 wickets in 39 innings.
Motganhalli Jaisimha has the worst bowling average for India in Tests. While he wasn’t primarily a bowler, he ended up with an average of 92.11 while taking nine wickets in 51 innings.
Check: Most Wickets as Captain in Test Cricket
