India vs England ODIs: How India’s top 5 one-day bowlers have done against the Englishmen

India will be playing a three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against England beginning at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on July 12 and it will be followed by two more games at Lord’s and Headingley on July 14 and 17, respectively.

India have won the last four ODI series against England since 2011, winning 13 games and losing just four but it will not be too easy this time against the hosts who have been playing ruthless cricket of late and destroyed rivals Australia 5-0 in a recent series at home.

Although India will be banking on their batsmen to win the ODI series, their bowling will also have to play a key role in the mission to conquer England. India’s bowling line-up is much inexperienced now as it banks on a group of youngsters after the two current veterans – Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja – found struggling in the competition with the newcomers.

Here we take a look at how India’s top bowling performers in the 50-over format have done against England over the years. We pick India’s top five wicket-takers in the ODIs.

1. Anil Kumble (337 wickets in 271 matches; average 30.89; economy 4.30; best bowling 66 for 12)

India’s top wicket-taker in the ODIs as in Tests, Anil ‘Jumbo’ Kumble had carried India’s bowling attack on his shoulders for a long time. Against England, Kumble has taken 25 wickets in 28 games at an average of 46 and economy rate of 4.53.

Kumble’s ODI bowling performances against England in England and India have been quite identical.

In England, he has taken 10 wickets in 12 matches against the hosts at an average of 46.59 and economy of 4.46.

At home as well, Kumble has 10 wickets in 12 games against England at an average of 51.40 and economy of 4.63. Kumble’s best bowling figure against England is 2 for 29 at Leeds in 1990.

At neutral venues, Kumble has taken five wickets in four matches at an average of 34 and economy rate of 4.47.

2. Javagal Srinath (315 wickets in 229 matches; average 28.08; economy 4.44; best bowling 5 for 23)

Javagal Srinath or Mysore Express had spearheaded India’s pace bowling for a long, long time and he has a rich record against England, taking 35 wickets in 21 matches at an average of 23.68 and economy rate of 4.38 – both of which are better than his respective overall career figures. One of his three five-wicket hauls has also come against the same opposition.

Srinath’s record against England in England, however, has been ordinary with just six wickets in four games though at a better average of 20.50 and economy rate of 3.29.

At home, he has much better yields against England with 21 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 23.14 and economy of 4.66. His best bowling figures of 5 for 41 against England came in Bengaluru in 1993 which was also his first-ever five-wicket haul though India had lost the game by 48 runs.

At neutral venues, Srinath has taken eight wickets in five games at an average of 27.50 and economy rate of 4.63.

3. Ajit Agarkar (288 wickets in 191 matches; average 27.85; economy 5.07; best bowling 6 for 42)

Ajit Agarkar had a good strike rate with the ball even if he often went for runs but his performance against England has not been extraordinary. Agarkar has played 18 matches against England overall and took 21 wickets but his average of 39-plus against England was 12 points worse than his overall figure. His economy rate against England is 6.60 which is also quite high compared to his career figure.

In England, Agarkar has taken nine wickets in nine games but at an average of 51.11 and economy of 7.36 though he had one four-wicket haul in that country (4 for 60 in Manchester in 2007).

At home, Agarkar has taken 12 wickets against England in nine games at a far better average of 31.16 (though worse than his overall average) and economy rate of 5.85. He also has one four-wicket haul against England at home (4 for 34 in Chennai in 2002).

Agarkar didn’t any ODI against England in a neutral venue.

4. Zaheer Khan (282 wickets in 200 matches; average 29.43; economy 4.93; best bowling 5 for 42)

Zaheer Khan’s ODI records against England take a slight dip when compared to his overall figures. He has taken 25 wickets in 18 games against England in his 12-year career at an average of 31.39 and economy of 4.98.

In England, Khan has taken 12 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 38.66 and economy of 5.27 while in India, his tally is 11 wickets in six matches at an average of 22.90 and economy of 5.04. Khan’s best bowling figures in ODI versus England in England is 3 for 53 at the Oval in 2002 and in India is 3 for 27 at Rajkot in 2008.

At neutral venues, Khan has two wickets in two matches against England at an average of 34.50 and a much better economy of 3.53.

5. Harbhajan Singh (269 wickets in 236 matches; average 33.35; economy 4.31; best bowling 5 for 31)

Harbhajan Singh has a better bowling record in the ODIs in England compared to his overall record as he has picked 36 wickets from 23 matches at an average of 25.33 and economy 4.20, which is better than his overall average of 33.35 and economy of 4.31. Two of his five-wicket hauls in the ODIs have also been registered against England.

In England, Singh has a quieter record of five wickets in four games against the hosts at an average of 29 but a decent economy rate of 3.62. His best ODI bowling record against England in their den is 3 for 28 at Lord’s in 2004.

In India, he has done much better by taking 31 wickets in 17 games at an average of 22.09 and economy rate of 4.36. Both his five-wicket hauls have come at home: 5 for 43 at Mumbai in 2002 and 5 for 31 in Delhi in 2006.

At neutral venues, the Turbanator has got no wickets in two games and has an economy rate of 4.10.