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Steyn at 3, Kumble lone Indian! Bowlers with most wickets in India vs South Africa ODIs

Aakash Saini

Most ODI wickets in India vs South Africa [Source: @ICC, @bcdeshmukh83/x]Most ODI wickets in India vs South Africa [Source: @ICC, @bcdeshmukh83/x]

Some rivalries become memorable not just for runs scored, but for the battles created by world-class bowling. In India vs South Africa ODIs, the contest has often been driven by skilful bowlers who consistently challenge conditions, match situations and top-order quality on both sides.

Celebrating nearly 35 years of India vs South Africa ODI cricket, here is a look at five of the most successful bowlers whenever these two sides have met in 50-overs internationals.

5. Lance Klusener – 31 wickets

Legendary South African all-rounder Lance Klusener picked up 31 wickets against India, his highest collection against a single opponent among all his 192 ODI career scalps. The cricketer did so in just 20 innings spanning 23 games, maintaining an impressive bowling average of just 24.03, his second best against a Test-playing nation after Pakistan.

Lance Klusener picked up five of those wickets in a single game, doing so in the opening match of the 1997 South Africa ODI tri-series in Bloemfontein where he snared match-winning figures of 5-42.

4. Dale Steyn – 34 wickets

South African speed demon Dale Steyn traumatized India in Tests as well as in ODIs throughout his playing career. In the latter of the two formats, the former cricketer collected 34 Indian wickets in just 18 innings at an impressive average of 22.44, and an economy rate of just 4.95, a true testament to his formidability while bowling in an era of batting-friendly ODI rules and high-scoring surfaces.

Dale Steyn picked up his lone five-fer against India at the 2011 World Cup in Nagpur, where his 5-50 decimated the hosts from 267-1 to 296 all out. A couple of years later, Steyn claimed figures of 3-25 in Johannesburg, where he started off with two maidens against Rohit Sharma while defending 359.


3. Anil Kumble – 46 wickets

Anil Kumble continues to remain the most successful spinner in India vs South Africa ODI rivalry from either team by a landslide. The legendary leg-spinner picked up 46 ODI wickets against South Africa in 39 innings, doing so at an average of 32 and an economy rate of just 3.94. Even on days Kumble struggled to take wickets, he made sure to strangulate South Africa’s run-flow, as evidenced by his tight economy.

To date, Anil Kumble also remains India’s most successful bowler against South Africa in ODI cricket, with the next best being Harbhajan Singh with 31 scalps.

2. Allan Donald – 46 wickets

Fearsome South African quick Allan Donald scalped 46 ODI wickets against India in just 26 games, his highest against any single opponent. Donald conceded his runs at an economy of just 4.05, and maintained an average of 21.15 during his India playing days between the years 1991 and 2002. He picked up an electrifying five-wicket haul way back in November 1991, jolting the Indian batting order with figures of 5-29 in front of a packed Eden Gardens in Kolkata to notch up one of his magnum opus ODI performances.

1. Shaun Pollock – 48 wickets

All-time great Shaun Pollock, sitting on a pile of 393 ODI wickets, picked up 48 of them against Team India in just 33 innings between the years 1996 and 2006. Pollock maintained a bowling average of 24.47 and an economy of just 4.04, and glittered his India career with a five-wicket haul and a separate four-fer.

Apart from being the most successful bowler in the history of India vs South Africa ODIs, Shaun Pollock also piled up 238 runs against them in the format at a handy lower-order batting average of nearly 22.