India vs Australia: Top 3 wicket-takers of all times

India and Australia are two cricket powerhouses in the world and the rivalry between them is always a crowd-puller. Having won 9 major international trophies (5 ODI World Cups, 2 Champions Trophy, 1 T20 World Cup and 1 World Test Championship), Australia is arguably one of the most successful teams in the history of the sport. India, meanwhile, are second on the list with 5 major silverware (2 ODI World Cups, 2 Champions Trophy and 1 T20 World Cup).

Flipping through the pages of history books, there have been many on-field enthralling moments between these two teams, especially in the 50-over format. The presence of quality players in both the batting and bowling departments makes these two teams formidable. Cricket fans will soon be treated to more exciting action between India and Australia as the two giants will clash for a three-match ODI series, followed by the 2023 ODI World Cup clash on October 8.

On that note, let’s take a look at the top three-wicket-takers of all time in matches between India and Australia in the ODI format.

3. Mitchell Johnson (43)

The Aussie speedster has taken 43 wickets in 27 ODI matches against India. Johnson made his ODI debut in March 2005 and played his first match against India in 2006. Since then, he has troubled the Indian batting unit with his sheer pace. One of his best figures in the 50-over format, 5/26, came against India in the 5th ODI in Vadodara in 2007. The left-arm pacer broke the Indian middle order and helped Australia restrict their opponent to 148/10.

2. Kapil Dev (45)

Legendary India all-rounder Kapil Dev has 45 wickets to his name in 41 ODI matches between India and Australia. In his prime, the now 64-year-old was one of Team India’s most reliable bowlers against the mighty Australia. Dev recorded his best bowling figure of 5/43 against Australia in the 1983 ODI World Cup, where the Chandigarh-born cricketer led his team to glory for the first time at a major event.

1. Brett Lee (55)

One of the most fearsome fast bowlers in the history of cricket, Australia’s Brett Lee tops the chart for most wickets in the Australia vs India match in ODI cricket. The right-arm pacer, who dominated India with lethal pace and bouncers, took 55 wickets in 32 matches – the leading wicket-taker in these fixtures. His second-best ODI figure – 5/27 – was against India in the first match of the 2007–08 Commonwealth Bank Series when Australia bowled India out for 194 runs.