Stats: Top 10 Test Bowling Figures By Australians In India

Feb 25, 2017 at 11:09 AM

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Stats: Top 10 Test Bowling Figures By Australians In India

India and Australia share a very interesting rivalry. The visitors came to India for the first time in 1956 as the world’s strongest team and as of now both the teams share a rich cricketing which extends to 60 years. In all these years, both teams have had a plethora of legend walking down the ground at the same time to compete against each other.

Australians, in fact, have had some of their best cricketing battles against India. Their players, especially bowlers, had a special liking for the Asian powerhouse and always came up with amazing performances.

Many of them registered career best figure against India in India. The same memories of bowler thumping the strong Indian batting order became fresh when Steve O’Keefe, single–handedly, wiped out India to just 105 all out. However, over the years, Indian fans have witnessed many more such bowling shows.

1. Jason Krejza – 8/215:

The best figure by an Australian bowling on India soil was picked by forgotten Tasmanian off-spinner Jason Krejza. The finger spinner toured India in 2008 and made his debut in Nagpur in the 4th Test of the series. Many didn’t consider him challenge worthy. He went for 0/199 in the practice game but he turned out to be the surprise weapon and collected a stunning debut innings figures of 8 for 215 and went on to finish with 12 wickets in the match. Unfortunately, his bowling efforts couldn’t be of any use as India won the match by 172 runs eventually.

2. Ray Lindwall – 7/43:

Australian legend Ray Lindwall gave a taste of true fast bowling to the Indians when his side came to the land of slow bowlers for the first time in 1956. The first Test was played at Madras (Chennai) and India went in to bat on a spinning track. The Test remains special in the mind of Australians as it witnessed not one but two highly extraordinary bowling performance –The first came from Richie Benaud (7/72 in the first innings) and the other from RayLindwalll (7/43 in the second innings). On the fourth day, Lindwall came back from a stomach ailment to run through the Indian team help Australia defeat the hosts by an innings and 5 runs.

3. Geoff Dymock – 7/67:

Geoff Dymock had a short career in which he played just 21 Tests. But, his career was an eventful one which saw him produce many memorable performances; one of them was the spell of 7/67 which came against India in the second innings of the 3rd Test at the Green park Stadium, Kanpur.

This was his career best performance and also his best bowling figure in a match as he had already registered a five-wicket haul in the first innings of the match.

4. Richie Benaud – 7/72:

While Lindwall finished off India’s resistance in the opening Test of the 1954 series, it was leg-spinner Richie Benaud who laid the platform for the win with a superb 7/72 in the first innings after India chose to bat first on a spinning track. Thanks to his bowling show, India were rolled over for just 171 in the first innings. The bowling performance eventually became the best career performance for Benaud who was easily the best leg spinner in the world.

5. Alan Davidson – 7/93:

Left-arm fast bowler Alan Davidson was one of the earliest fast bowling legends of the country. The Australian bowling attack that dominated India on the home soil had one key man missing –Alan Davidson. Many felt his presence would have made India look completely hapless.

For anyone who wishes to disagree with the fact, his figures of 7/93in the 2nd test at Kanpur serves as a great example of it. After snapping a five-wicket haul in the first innings, Davidson followed it up with a much better seven-wicket special. Unfortunately, his bowling exploits were overshadowed by Polly Umrigar and Jasu Patel who together ensured that India won the match by 119 runs.

6. Nathan Lyon – 7/94:

On 22nd March 2013, bowling at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi, off-spinner Nathan Lyon gave his career best performance against India. It was the fourth Test and Australia, after making 262 in the first innings, came out to bowl. India started well but soon lost their way as Lyon started to create inroads before eventually ending up taking 7/94. The off-spinner, who was one of the key players whom everyone had their eyes on before the series, did not disappoint and had made a noticeable impact in the series, although he could help Australia avert a series loss.

7. Jim Higgs – 7/143:

Jim Higgs is famous for keeping the art of leg spin alive in the late seventies when the limelight was only on the fast bowlers. Higgs featured in just 22 Tests but his career was marked by many memorable performances at home and overseas.

Out of those, the most remarkable performance came against India at Chennai during Australia’s 1979 tour. The leggie snapped 7/143 in the second innings to help the tourist gain a massive first innings lead. This showing eventually became his career figures.

8. Michael Clarke – 6/9:

This was the time when the part-timer became a hero for his team and grabbed the headline. Michael Clarke was always looked upon as the partnership breaker but his bowling show during the 4th Test in Mumbai during the 2004 series still comes in the mind of the cricket fans whenever they discuss India-Australia rivalry.

On a pitch that was tailor-made for the spinners, Clarke, the left arm spinner who didn’t bowl in the first innings, through the rest of India’s line-up and snapped a stunning 6/9 with all his wickets coming in 38 balls. It still remains the only six-fer by a spinner for less than ten runs.

9. Steve O’ Keefe – 6/35:

Going to lunch at 70 for 3 on Day two, India would have been positive about narrowing close to Australia’s first innings total of 260 in the opening Test at the MCA Stadium, Pune.

However, nothing of that sort happened as India suffered their worst ever collapse in Tests, slipping from 94/3 to 105 all out losing their last seven wickets for just 11 runs.

O’Keefe who was playing only his fifth Test and in his first in India returned with a career-best 6 for 35. Thanks to his bowling Australia gained a potentially match-winning lead of 155 runs in the first innings.

10. Richie Benaud – 6/52:

Australia legend Richie Benaud, easily the best leg spinner to have ever donned the baggy green after Shane Warne, had a special liking for India and the suitable bowling conditions that the sub-continental pitches provided.

Benaud, a master of his art, pushed on the back foot in the 3rd Test at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. His bowling effort gave a perfect reply for India, who were bowled out for just 136 after tourist bundled out for just 177 in the first innings.

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