Top five bowlers with most wickets for India in T20Is

It is no secret that while batters win you matches, bowlers win you tournaments. More so in the T20 format, which was once believed to be the format for the batters when it arrived at the international arena in 2005, it is the teams with the better bowling line-ups that have ended up doing well in tournaments across the globe at the world stage or across various leagues as well over a period of time.

Defending T20 World Cup champions, India have an outstanding pool of talented cricket players, as seen by their supremacy in the T20I arena. Although batting ability frequently makes the headlines, the bowling attack has contributed just as much to their success. More so frequently when young bowlers have spearheaded the bowling attacks in the T20 format and brought great laurels to the nation. 

One such young bowler is left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who has become the highest-wicket taker for India in the shortest format of the game. In this article, let's delve into the top five wicket takers for India in T20Is. 

Top five wicket-takers for India in T20Is 

1. Arshdeep Singh (Wickets 97, Matches 61)

Not too long ago was Arshdeep Singh a newcomer to the Indian team playing with much more experienced bowlers when he made his jump from playing in the IPL for the Punjab Kings to getting a call-up to the national side. He made his debut against England in England in July ’22 and cut to Jan’ 25 he has transcended into the leader of the pack, in all sorts. What has been exceptional about him is his meteoric rise to the top as he has picked up wickets at an exceptional strike rate of 13.03.

His best performance came in the T20 World Cup, 2024 where he registered figures of 4/9 against USA which were also the best figures by an Indian in T20 World Cups. He was an important cog in the wheel for the championship-winning side and ended up as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker with 17 wickets to his name.

2. Yuzvendra Chahal (Wickets 96, Matches 80)

Having last played a T20I game in August 2023, the leg-spinner from Haryana was once the linchpin of the Indian bowling attack in T20Is.

His wicket-taking ability stands out in the shortest format of the game with his crafty googlies and other variations make him a standout. He was the mainstay of the Indian bowling lineup in T20Is from 2016-19 and he still is a noteworthy spin bowler in competitions like the IPL. 

His figures of 6/25 against England at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru are still the best figures for an Indian spinner in T20Is.

3.  Hardik Pandya (Wickets 91, Matches 110)

One name in this list that might surprise a few people is that of the ace all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Not that he lacks any ability but just because of the fact that he is not generally seen as a big wicket-taker but his best figures of 4/16 against New Zealand say otherwise. However, the sheer volume of work that he has put up for the Indian team with the ball in the past few years has taken him high in this list and he currently sits in the third position with a good chance of moving up the ladder.

He has the happy knack of taking crucial wickets when the team needs them the most and he proves to be a valuable asset for India. His off-pace deliveries and the hard lengths that he hits are his most prized weapons, he has also started taking the new ball in recent times for India in what has been a wonderful addition to his repertoire.

4.  Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Wickets 90, Matches 87) 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a veteran on the Indian T20I circuit whose swing and seam movement have regularly caused problems for batters. The same seam and swing movement was what caused him to burst onto the scene in and around the year 2012.

While he might not be in the scheme of things in the Indian T20 setup now having played his last T20I in Nov 22’, he was an essential part of the Indian bowling assault because of his steady line and length as well as his ability to move the ball off the seam in his prime.

Bhuvneshwar's ability to take wickets is demonstrated by his best numbers of 5/4 against South Africa.

5. Jasprit Bumrah (Wickets 89, Matches 70)

Hailed as one of the best all-format pacers to have ever played the game, Jasprit Bumrah is the final name on the list. The speedster last played for India in the shortest format in the T20 World Cup in 2024 where he was the “Player of the Tournament” with some exceptional performances throughout the competition.

Along with a quirky bowling action, Bumrah has got all the artillery required to be a gun T20 bowler. His lethal yorker is second to none in the World game, he has a very sharp bouncer that batsmen find hard to pick and he has also got a bag of tricks with all his variations that make him a nightmare to face for any batsman.

While Bumrah has not gone past the 3-wicket mark in an innings in T20Is, he has several 3-fers with his 3/7 against Sri Lanka being one of his many economical and stingy spells where he ties down an opponent with his relentlessness and accuracy.