One of the lesser talked about rivalries in world cricket is the India vs Sri Lanka contest. The two nations have produced some of the greatest and highest-achieving batsmen and bowlers who have contested against each other for the past four decades.
The first India vs Sri Lanka clash in Test cricket happened in 1982. India, as expected, have dominated this rivalry. Of the 46 Test matches between these two countries, between 1982 and 2022, India won 22 and lost only 7.
India’s positive record here underlines that their bowlers, in particular their spinners, have been highly effective both at home and away. Let us see the five Indian bowlers who have done exceedingly well against the island nation.
IND vs SL: Top 5 Indian Bowlers Who Have Taken Most Wickets Against Sri Lanka In Test Cricket
5. Ishant Sharma – 36 wickets
It’s a bit odd to find a fast bowler’s name on this list, as pitches in both India and Sri Lanka have generally favored spinners. But Ishant Sharma was a workhorse in Test cricket, someone who’d bowl long spells and break threatening partnerships.
Ishant took 36 wickets against Sri Lanka in 12 Tests, with one five-wicket haul. This five-for came in Colombo in 2015.
4. Kapil Dev – 45 wickets
Former India captain and India’s greatest pace-bowling all-rounder, Kapil Dev, claimed 45 wickets in 14 Test matches against Sri Lanka with one five-for, which he bagged in Chennai in 1982.
3. Harbhajan Singh – 53 wickets
Former off-spinner Harbhajan Singh registered two five-wicket innings hauls and two ten-wicket match hauls against Sri Lanka in his record of 53 wickets across 16 Tests.
Singh’s best returns against this particular opposition is 7/62, which he picked up in Ahmedabad in 2005.
2. Ravichandran Ashwin – 62 wickets
R Ashwin featured in only 11 Test matches against Sri Lanka but bagged 62 wickets at an average of 21.93, which is the best among the five bowlers on this list. This record of Ashwin’s includes three five-fors and one ten-wicket match haul.
1. Anil Kumble – 74 wickets
India’s leading wicket-taker in Test cricket, Anil Kumble, picked up 74 scalps in 18 Tests against the Lankans. The former leg-spinner bagged 4 five-wicket hauls and 2 ten-wicket match hauls.
Kumble collected figures of 7/59 against Sri Lanka in Lucknow in 1994.
IND vs SL: How many wickets has Ravindra Jadeja taken against Sri Lanka in Test cricket?
Ahead of the start of the IND vs SL Test series 2026, Jadeja has played only 7 Test matches against Sri Lanka, in which he took 33 wickets at an average of 23, including two five-wicket hauls.
IND vs SL: What is the best bowling figures by an Indian bowler against Sri Lanka in Test?
The best bowling figures by an Indian bowler against Sri Lanka in a Test innings belongs to Maninder Singh, who took 7/51 in Nagpur in 1986.
(Stats updated till 13 August 2026)
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