Most Wickets in India vs New Zealand Tests: Ravichandran Ashwin to Zaheer Khan to Ravindra Jadeja, Top Wicket-Takers in Head-to-Head

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Team India is hosting New Zealand in the three-match Test series, with the opening fixture held at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Pune and Mumbai are the venues for the second and third Test matches respectively.

When it comes to the India vs New Zealand rivalry in Test cricket, some bowlers have left a lasting impact by consistently delivering outstanding performances. Let's take a closer look at the seven bowlers who bagged the most wickets for India vs New Zealand in Tests.

Top Wicket-Takers in India vs New Zealand Tests

1. Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin has been a nightmare for New Zealand batters in red-ball cricket. The premier off-spinner has tormented the Kiwi batters with his guile, precision, and variety of spin. He leads the charts with 66 wickets in just 9 matches, including 6 five-wicket hauls, and will be looking forward to extending his wicket tally in the upcoming series.

2. Sir Richard Hadlee

New Zealand's bowling great Sir Richard Hadlee is second on the list in terms of taking the most wickets in India vs New Zealand in Tests. He terrorized the Indian batting line-up during the playing days of his career. Overall, he has bagged as many as 65 wickets against India, including 4 five-wicket hauls.

3. Bishan Singh Bedi

Former India's left-arm spinner Bishan Singh Bedi had a remarkable ability to deceive batters with flight and turn during his era. He is India's second leading wicket-taker against New Zealand in Tests as he accounted for 57 dismissals in 12 games, including 4 five-wicket hauls.

4. Erapalli Prasanna

Erapalli Prasanna is another spinner from India's golden era. He was best-known for his sharp off-breaks. Overall, he picked up 55 wickets in just 10 games. Besides that, he was good at exploiting the conditions which paved the way for his 6 five-wicket hauls.

5. Tim Southee

Tim Southee has been a consistent performer for New Zealand for several years now. He is known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, which helped him bag as many as 52 wickets, including two five-wicket hauls against India. His knack for picking wickets with the new ball as well as old made him a potent bowling weapon for New Zealand.

6. Anil Kumble

India's all-time bowling great Anil Kumble, who has taken 956 wickets in international cricket, has claimed 50 wickets in 11 matches against New Zealand. He was one of the few bowlers who gave the Kiwis a run for their money by breaking partnerships during his era. Kumble has bagged 4 five-wicket hauls against New Zealand.

7. Zaheer Khan

Zaheer Khan was one of the best cornerstones of India's bowling set-ups during his era. He was best-known for his ability to ruffle the batters' feathers by swinging the ball both ways. Zaheer picked up 47 wickets in 13 matches, including a five-wicket haul.

18. Ravindra Jadeja

The left-arm spinner is only the third active bowler in the top 20. The Saurashtra all-rounder who is playing his 10th Test match against the Kiwis has so far picked up 28 wickets. In the first innings of the Pune Test, Jadeja didn't get a single wicket as R Ashwin and fellow Tamil Nadu all-rounder Washington Sundar accounted for all 10 wickets.

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