Fastest Indian bowlers to reach 50 wickets in Tests

Narendra Hirwani (11 matches, 2,726 balls)

Most of the millennial reading this in all probabilities wouldn’t recognize this name, but Narendra Hirwani was ‘the phenomenon’ when he came into the Indian team. His memorable Test debut, followed by a dismal run in the following matches, got him no more than 17 Tests, before getting dropped from the side, never to play again.

In his 35-match-long international career, he took 89 wickets, but what followed was a nightmare for him and a dream come true for Anil Kumble who took Hirwani’s place in the Indian side and eventually Hirwani was pushed out of the Indian side, playing his last Test within 8 years of his dream debut.

Hirwani had broken Bob Massie’s record by a bowler on Test match debut and had taken 16 wickets, giving away only 136 runs. And, this figure still stands as a record in international cricket, waiting to be broken. Following his removal from the international scene, Hirwani continued playing domestic cricket and took 732 wickets before hanging up his boots in the 2005/06 season.

His exceptional run in the initial days of his Test career got him to 50 wickets in 11 matches and 2,726 balls in the match against England at the ‘Home of Cricket’, Lord’s Cricket Ground on the 30th of July 1990.