Top Indian bowlers with most maiden overs in ODIs: From Kapil Dev to Anil Kumble, where does Mohammed Shami rank?
In the 54-year history of ODI cricket, India's pace factory has produced numerous world-class bowlers. Let's have a look at the top seven bowlers who delivered the most maidens for India in 50-over cricket.
Kapil Dev (1978-1994), 235 ODI maidens
From 1978 to 1994, Kapil Dev, known as ‘The Haryana hurricane’, delivered 235 maiden overs in ODIs. With 253 wickets and a best of 5/43, the World Cup-winning captain set the tone for India’s future fast bowlers.
Javagal Srinath (1991-2003), 137 ODI maidens
Srinath’s sheer pace and sharp lines earned him 137 maiden overs and 315 wickets in his ODI career. Known for his fiery spells, his best figures of 5/23 came in classic pace and rhythm.
Zaheer Khan (2000-2012), 112 ODI maidens
India’s left-arm swing pacer, Zaheer Khan, combined pace and variations to bowl 112 maidens. With 269 ODI wickets and a best of 5/42, Zaheer was India’s go-to man in crunch moments.
Anil Kumble (1990-2007), 109 ODI maidens
Anil Kumble notched up 109 maiden overs in ODIs. The leg-spinner scalped 334 wickets with a best of 6/12 against West Indies at the Eden Gardens in the Hero Cup final (1993).
Ajit Agarkar (1998-2007), 100 ODI maidens
Ajit Agarkar bowled 100 maidens and picked 288 wickets, including a best of 6/42. Ajit is the chairman of the BCCI selection committee for the men's team.
Harbhajan Singh (1998-2015), 83 ODI maidens
Harbhajan Singh, known as the ‘Turbanator’, confused the opposition batters with his off-spin. He bowled 83 maiden overs and scalped 265 wickets in his ODI career, with his best being a sharp 5/31.
Venkatesh Prasad (1994-2001), 79 ODI maidens
Venkatesh Prasad’s medium pace earned him 79 maiden overs. The Karnataka seamer took 196 ODI wickets, with a best of 5/26.
Mohammed Shami (2013-still playing), 52 ODI maidens
Surprisingly, Mohammed Shami doesn’t feature in India’s top 10 list for most ODI maidens. He sits at no. 15, with 52 maiden overs in 108 matches.
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