All-Time Best Match Bowling Figures in India Vs West Indies Test Matches

The India vs West Indies test series has a great history of both teams producing great matches, and having the best bowling figures in an India vs West Indies test match is something every bowler wishes to have.

The difference between India and the West Indies may have a significant gap in terms of skills and performance now, but before the 2000s, it was all about the West Indies, which dominated cricket.

In India, spinners are often aided by the dry and turning surfaces. They must exhibit guile and put the ball into ‘flight.’ In the Caribbean, the pace and bounce rule. It demands rhythm and speed. Both challenges listed are mastered by the bowlers in this section.

Top 10 Best Bowling Figures in India vs West Indies Test Matches 

1. Narendra Hirwani – 16/136 (Chennai, 1988)

Hirwani’s debut match was and will be forever remembered for his spine-chilling bowling performance. By taking 16 wickets against a highly dominant West Indies team at Chepauk, he shocked the entire world of cricket.

The leg spin bowling that he displayed was the epitome of modern wrist spin. Almost every turner of the ball dreams of instantaneously achieving success in the ways he did, and it is surely a tremendous way to begin a career. Very few players, if any at all, have been able to leave a mark on Test cricket at their debut like he has. 

2. Andy Roberts – 12/121 (Chennai, 1975)

In the 1970s, the one and only Andy Roberts was a living nightmare to the Indian batters. He put on a performance in the match at Chennai that showcased him as a true West Indian.

The 1970s saw the dominance of West Indies cricket, which, beyond any doubt, had the best aggressive fast bowling of the time. No side in the world could withstand the bowling barrage they unleashed. He took 12 wickets in total at a time when it was not very easy to take wickets, but at that time, West Indies bowlers were at the top.

3. Ravichandran Ashwin – 12/131 (Roseau, 2023)

The modern-day greatest spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, is in third position with 12 wickets in a single match against the West Indies at the Roseau in 2023. He has been the most intelligent and creative spinner who can do anything under the rules of the game to get the other player out.

After Kapil Dev, Ashwin has been the most wicket-taker for India against the West Indies in the test matches. He has taken

He took down 12 wickets within a single match. How? Through the swift devaney called spin, even the incredibly slow ocean waves of the Caribbean. Ravichandran Ashwin, a former international cricketer, delivered an award-winning performance at a time when an Indian cricketer had very few opportunities for foreign masterclasses.

4. Malcolm Marshall – 11/89 (Ports of Spain, 1989)

Any bowler who wishes to dream about bathing in glory has to master the bass line of anger: precise anger. No bowler other than Marshall has balanced anger and accuracy the way he did at the Port of Spain.

With 11 wickets taken and the rest of the team bowled down, his face was not only the face of victory but the face of whips, terror, and full aggression. Nothing could survive the cyclone’s rage, which was Malcolm Marshall at his vengeance height.

5. Wes Hall – 11/126 (Kanpur, 1995)

Image showing  Sir Wes Hall in a test match. Image Credit: ICC/X

Hall Wes, the glorious, mesmerizing bowler, was a machine. During the moments he bowled, the energy his body radiated at the current speed could have powered a small West Indies city.

It was at the time, when even the West Indies had dominated the match, that he bowled 11 wickets down in a way that gave total inspiration to the way the Caribbean bowlers dominated throughout their time and still radiates towards the upcoming generations.

6. Bhagwat Chandrasekhar – 11/235 (Mumbai, 1966)

Brabourne Stadium wasn’t offering much help for this game, but B.S. Chandrasekhar didn’t need it. He performed his magic spinning leg breaks that were exquisitely controlled, even with sharp leg spin, bouncing unpredictably.

Bhagwat showed how sheer will can turn even flat pitches into battlegrounds since he worked really hard for his 11 pins for this tough game. 

7. Pragyan Ojha – 10/89 (Mumbai, 2013)

Fans who attended Tendulkar’s farewell match were treated to a remarkable performance by Pragyan Ojha. He captured 10 wickets in this match, single-handedly defeating West Indies and helping India to a big victory.

8. Ishant Sharma – 10/108 (Barbados, 2011)

Another one of his finest overseas performances came through in this game. 10 wickets and a contribution in the victory of India in such conditions, and proving the Indian pacers can perform overseas, which was a steep bounce and seam movement setter by Ishant. Relentless, tall, and fiery is exactly how this game captured another one of his best performances. 

9. Umesh Yadav – 10/133  (Hyderabad – 2018)

Umesh Yadav’s heavy 10-wicket haul in Hyderabad is a testimony to how control on aggression can change a game.  He single-handedly sealed the match with a masterclass of perfect aggression, aggression held at the stumps with the old ball. His surgical precision in hitting his targets turned the match into a thumping victory for the country.

10. Kapil Dev – 10/135 (Ahmedabad – 1983)

Before leading the country to victory, Kapil Dev wowed fans with his all-round expertise with the ball. He claimed nine wickets in an innings and 10 in total. 

Sir Kapil Dev was able to master the late swing and win the mental battle with the batters.  Dev was sheer brilliance and full of spirit in his exceptional spell against the West Indians.

Records and Memorable Moments 

• Hirwani’s 16 wickets are the best match figures achieved in India vs West Indies Tests. 
• The best innings performance by an Indian in this rivalry is Kapil Dev’s 9/83. 
• The fastest Indian to reach 50 wickets against the West Indies before retirement was Ashwin. 
• This rivalry has produced sheer magic from both the spin and pace, proving that conditions do not limit greatness. 

All the top 10 bowlers with the best figures in the match between India and the West Indies are retired ones, but any day, some of the great modern players, like Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Alzarri Joseph, and Jayden Seales, could take their place.

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