Young Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh made history on Wednesday, surpassing Yuzvendra Chahal to become India’s leading wicket-taker in T20 Internationals during the opening match of the five-match series against England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The left-arm pacer achieved the remarkable feat by taking two early wickets, dismissing England’s Philip Salt (0) and Ben Duckett (4) in his first two overs.
Arshdeep, who entered the match with 95 T20I wickets, now holds the record with 97 wickets in just 61 matches, further solidifying his crucial role in India’s T20I setup.
Arshdeep’s achievement sees him surpass Chahal, who previously held the record with 96 wickets in 80 matches. The list of India’s top T20I wicket-takers now stands as follows:
97 Arshdeep Singh (61 matches)
96 Yuzvendra Chahal (80 matches)
90 Bhuvneshwar Kumar (87 matches)
89 Jasprit Bumrah (70 matches)
89 Hardik Pandya (110 matches)
Chahal, despite dropping to second place, remains one of India’s finest spinners in the shortest format. Arshdeep’s rise to the top, however, highlights his growing consistency and impact, particularly in pressure situations.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is third on the list, followed by Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, who are tied with 89 wickets each. Bumrah achieved the mark in 70 matches, while Pandya took 110 appearances to reach it.
Having finished as the joint top wicket-taker in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Arshdeep’s consistency continues to shine.
Additionally, his impressive form has earned him a spot in India’s ODI squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy, further cementing his position as one of the most promising pacers in world cricket.
