Who is the fastest bowler in India? Top 20 fastest bowlers in India in all formats with Career Statistics

Watching cricket becomes a sensational experience when a batsman on the crease positions himself in an upright stance to face the incredible Indian fast bowlers. Today’s Indian cricket team bowlers are some of the best in the world. Ask any fan, and he or she would be more than happy to present you with a list of Indian fast bowlers. Some might even say, pacers are taking over spinners as they are India’s best fast bowlers of all time. So, do you know who are the best bowlers in India? If you don’t, you will get to know about the best Indian pace bowlers as you go through the article. On completing the read, you would be able to answer questions like who is the best fast bowler in India as of today or who is the fastest Indian bowler in cricket history.

Without further ado, let’s match the bowling speed of Indian bowlers as you scroll down the list of Indian fast bowlers. Here is a list of the top 15 Indian fast bowlers of all time: 

17. Ajit Agarkar

Ajit Agarkar’s Career Statistics

Format	M	Inn	B	Mdn	Runs	W	BB	Econ	Avg	SR	4W	5W
Test	26	467	4857	168	2745	58	6/41	3.39	47.3	52.8	0	1
ODI	191	1269	9484	–	8021	288	6/42	5.07	27.85	80.62	10	2
T20I	4	3	63	–	85	3	2/10	8.09	28.33	136.36	0	0
IPL	42	22	782	–	179	29	25/2	8.83	39.7	116.23	–	0
1st class	110	–	18132	–	9179	299	6/41	3.03	30.69	60.6	–	12
List A	270	–	13322	–	10990	420	6/18	4.95	26.16	31.7	11	3
T20	62	60	1172	–	1608	47	3/25	8.23	34.21	24.9	0	0

Ajit Agarkar’s Fastest ball: 145.5 km/h

Former Indian cricketer and commentator Ajit Bhalchandra Agarkar, He has played in over 200 international matches for India in all three areas of the game. He is India’s third highest wicket-taker in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and has represented the nation in the 1999 and 2007 Cricket World Cups. He captained Mumbai to its 40th Ranji Trophy title in 2013 while playing for the  Delhi Capitals and the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. In 1998, he made his Test and ODI debuts, and in 2006, he made his T20I debut.

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16. Shivam Mavi

Shivam Mavi’s Career Statistics

Format	Mat	Inns	Mdn	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w
IPL	32	32	–	649	2	942	30	4/21	8.70	31.4	21.6	1	0
FC	6	12	–	1068	540	25	5/68	6/83	21.60	3.03	42.7	3	1
List A	29	28	–	1308	1101	45	5/73	5/73	24.46	5.05	29.0	3	1
T20	39	39	–	799	1137	36	4/21	4/21	31.58	8.53	22.1	1	0

Fastest ball by Shivam Mavi: 149.3 km/h

Shivam Mavi is the best fast bowler in India for first-class cricket. He is best remembered for his 5-wicket hall in his second first-class match. Shivam rose to prominence after delivering mesmerising performances for the KKR team in the IPL. He hopes to one day lead the Indian cricket team’s bowlers. Without his name, the list of Indian fast bowlers would be incomplete.

15. S. Sreesanth

Sreesanth’s Career Statistics

Format	M	Inn	B	Mdn	Runs	W	BB	Econ	Avg	SR	4W	5W
Test	27	50	5419	162	3271	87	5/40	3.62	37.6	62.3	4	3
ODI	53	52	2476	16	2508	75	6/55	6.07	33.4	33.0	2	1
T20I	10	9	204	2	288	7	2/12	8.47	41.1	29.1	0	0
1st class	74	131	13182	436	7651	213	5/40	3.48	35.92	61.8	9	6
List A	92	85	4436	41	4223	124	6/55	5.71	35.7	35.7	5	2
T20	65	59	1300	6	1813	54	3/29	8.36	33.57	24.0	0	0

Fastest ball by S. Sreesanth: 149.3 km/h

First Kerala Ranji player to have ever played T20 cricket from the Indian side, S. Sreesanth still remains a famous pacer. Sensational bowling against the glorious Australian team made Sreesanth among the best Indian cricket team bowlers. No doubt, he finds a place in the list of best Indian fast bowlers.

14. R.P Singh

R.P Singh Career Statistics

Format	M	Inn	B	Mdn	Runs	W	BB	Econ	Avg	SR	4W	5W
Test	14	25	2534	59	1682	40	5/59	3.98	42.0	63.4	3	1
ODI	58	57	2565	31	2343	69	4/35	5.48	34.0	37.2	2	0
T20I	10	9	198	0	225	15	4/13	6.81	15.0	13.2	1	0
1st class	94	164	17192	585	9202	301	6/50	3.21	30.6	57.1	13	12
List A	136	134	6378	80	5460	190	5/30	5.14	28.7	33.6	6	3
T20	132	131	2903	4	3638	146	5/8	7.52	24.9	19.9	3	1

Fastest ball by R.P Singh: 147 km/h

Among the former Indian cricket team bowlers, RP Singh remains the most memorable. His incredible pace of bowling stood unmatched even the best in his days. Ranking next to Brett Lee and Shoaib Akhtar at times, RP Singh was the best fast bowler in India at his peak. To date, his Test debut against Pakistan where he took a 5-wicket haul is one the best episodes in cricket history.

13. Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Bhuvneshwar’s Career Statistics

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w
Test	21	37	3348	1644	63	6/82	8/96	26.09	2.94	53.1	3	4
ODI	121	120	5847	4951	141	5/42	5/42	35.11	5.08	41.4	4	1
T20I	59	59	1253	1460	58	5/24	5/24	25.17	6.99	21.6	1	1
IPL	145	145	3250	3949	154	5/19	5/19	7.29	25.64	21.1	0	1
FC	70	123	12393	5785	218	6/77	9/103	26.53	2.80	56.8	9	12
List A	168	165	8144	6583	208	5/42	5/42	31.64	4.84	39.1	6	1
T20	220	220	4855	5804	224	5/19	5/19	25.91	7.17	21.6	3	2

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s Fastest ball: 140 km/h

A leading inspiration to the budding Indian cricket team bowlers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is better known as Bhuvi. The right-arm medium pacer, well known for his in-swings, always ranks among the best Indian pace bowlers. He holds an extraordinary record of becoming the first Indian bowler to take 5-wicket haul in all formats of modern-day cricket. He finds a spot among the Indian fast bowlers, though being a medium pacer because he bowled at a speed of 140 km per hour.

12. Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah Career Statistics:

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w
Test	29	56	6052	2673	123	6/27	9/86	21.73	2.65	49.2	2	8
ODI	70	70	3703	2873	113	5/27	5/27	25.42	4.65	32.7	5	1
T20I	57	56	1229	1333	67	3/11	3/11	19.89	6.50	18.3	0	0
IPL	119	119	2718	3355	142	5/10	5/10	7.41	23.63	19.14	0	1
FC	57	102	11318	5036	215	6/27	9/86	23.42	2.66	52.6	5	14
List A	95	95	5058	3774	165	5/27	5/27	22.87	4.47	30.6	8	2
T20	206	205	4620	5408	250	5/10	5/10	21.63	7.02	18.4	2	1

Fastest ball by Jasprit Bumrah: 153 km/h

The Bumrah Brilliant is the fastest bowler in India as of 2019. Debuting in the 2015-16 series against Australia, Bumrah soon became the best fast bowler in India beating all others. He holds the record of being the first Indian fast bowler to take 5 wickets in South Africa, England, and Australia in the same year. Moreover, he clocked a bowling speed of over 153 km per hour to rank among the fastest bowlers of today.

11. Mohammed Nisar

Mohammed Nisar Career Statistics:

Format	M	Inn	B	Mdn	Runs	W	BB	Econ	Avg	SR	4W	5W
Test	6	11	1211	34	707	25	5/90	48.44	28.3	3.5	0	3

Mohammed Nisar Fastest ball: 150 km/h

We’re guessing that only a few cricket fans have heard of Muhammad Nisar. According to various reports, he was India’s fastest bowler. Nissar made his debut in India’s first Test at Lord’s in 1932, finishing with 5 for 93. Interesting fact: 13 of his 25 wickets came via bowled and leg-before deliveries. Nisar was part of a team that included legends such as CK Nayudu, the brothers Nazir Ali, and Wazir Ali, as well as his famous bowling partner, Amar Singh.

10. Varun Aaron

Varun Aaron Career Statistics

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w
Test	9	14	1189	947	18	3/97	3/97	52.61	4.77	66.0	0	0
ODI	9	9	380	419	11	3/24	3/24	38.09	6.61	34.5	0	0
IPL	52	50	994	1481	44	3/16	3/16	8.94	33.66	22.59	0	0
FC	63	99	9508	5481	167	6/32	8/53	32.82	3.45	56.9	7	6
List A	73	72	3446	3128	115	6/37	6/37	27.20	5.44	29.9	3	3
T20	89	87	1799	2583	89	3/16	3/16	29.02	8.61	20.2	0	0

Fastest ball by Varun Aaron: 152.5 km/h

His smooth run-up followed by a deer-like jump gets him the perfect body movement to deliver balls at high speed. Clocking his best at 152.5 km /h, Varun is probably one of the best Indian pace bowlers of today. His name constantly appears on the elite list of Indian fast bowlers. Some might even say that he is the best Indian fast bowler as of today.

9. Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav Career Statistics

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w
Test	52	102	8235	4867	158	6/88	10/133	30.80	3.54	52.1	5	3
ODI	75	73	3558	3565	106	4/31	4/31	33.63	6.01	33.5	4	0
T20I	7	7	150	219	9	2/19	2/19	24.33	8.76	16.6	0	0
IPL	132	131	2786	3884	135	4/23	4/23	8.36	28.77	20.64	0	0
FC	102	187	17082	9463	327	7/48	12/79	28.93	3.32	52.2	11	15
List A	118	116	5682	5451	164	5/26	5/26	33.23	5.75	34.6	4	1
T20	162	160	3398	4628	166	5/18	5/18	27.87	8.17	20.4	3	1

Umesh Yadav Fastest ball: 152.2 km/h

The highest wicket-taker for India in the ICC World Cup of 2015, Umesh is undoubtedly among the most incredible Indian fast bowlers. Playing domestically since 2008, Umesh has many records to his name. Many Indian cricket team bowlers highly regard his consistency in high-speed bowling. Once, Umesh broke Stephen Fleming’s record of the highest strike rate in a Test inning. Many might consider him to be the best fast bowler in India for this very reason.

8. Ashish Nehra

Ashish Nehra Career Statistics

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w
Test	17	29	3447	1866	44	4/72	6/117	42.40	3.24	78.3	2	0
ODI	120	120	5751	4981	157	6/23	6/23	31.72	5.19	36.6	5	2
T20I	27	27	588	758	34	3/19	3/19	22.29	7.73	17.2	0	0
IPL	88	88	1908	2495	106	4/10	4/10	7.85	23.54	18.0	0	0
FC	90		16966	8832	303	7/14		29.14	3.12	55.9		14
List A	201		9701	8086	245	6/23	6/23	33.00	5.00	39.5	9	2
T20	132	132	2845	3653	162	4/10	4/10	22.54	7.70	17.5	2	0

Ashish Nehra Fastest ball: 149.7 km/h

Fans call him Nehra Ji, and he actually deserves showering love and respect. After all, He is the second oldest player to represent India in T20 International. Even though he remained a subject to criticism for his injuries, some still find Nehra to be the best fast bowler in India. An inspiration to the Indian cricket team bowlers at present, Nehra always ranks high in the list of Indian fast bowlers.

7. Ishant Sharma

Ishant Sharma Career Statistics

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w
Test	105	188	19160	10078	311	7/74	10/108	32.40	3.15	61.6	10	11
ODI	80	78	3733	3563	115	4/34	4/34	30.98	5.72	32.4	6	0
T20I	14	14	278	400	8	2/34	2/34	50.00	8.63	34.7	0	0
IPL	93	93	1997	2701	72	5/12	5/12	8.12	37.51	27.74	0	1
FC	151	268	26946	13742	482	7/24	11/51	28.51	3.05	55.9	21	16
List A	123	120	5834	5154	178	5/21	5/21	28.95	5.30	32.7	10	1
T20	141	141	3026	3938	112	5/12	5/12	35.16	7.80	27.0	1	1

Fastest ball by Ishant Sharma: 152.6 km/h

Sharma was the reason why India could win at the Lord’s in 2014, after 28 long years. The giant of the Indian cricket, Ishant Sharma is undoubtedly one of the best Indian pacers of all time. The right-arm pacer clocked his fastest against Ricky Poting in a Test match during December 2011.

6. Javagal Srinath

Javagal Srinath Career Statistics:

Format	M	Inn	B	Mdn	Runs	W	BB	Econ	Avg	SR	4W	5W
Test	67	121	15104	597	7196	236	8/86	2.85	30.5	64.0	8	10
ODI	229	227	11935	137	8847	315	5/23	4.44	28.1	37.9	7	3
1st class	147	251	28618	1091	14027	533	9/76	2.94	26.3	53.7	22	23
List A	290	287	14981	192	10684	407	5/23	4.28	26.2	36.8	9	4

Fastest ball by Indian bowler: Javagal Srinath(154.5 km/h)

The best fast bowler in India till date is none other than Javagal Srinath. Leading the Indian pace attack for straight nine years, Srimath tops the list of Indian fast bowlers. Today’s Indian cricket team bowlers time and again watch his bowling style to improve on their bit. Even after so many years since his retirement, Srinath still remains the only Indian fast bowler to take 300 wickets in ODI International.

5. Zaheer Khan

Zaheer Khan Career Statistics

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w
Test	92	165	18785	10247	311	7/87	10/149	32.94	3.27	60.4	15	11
ODI	200	197	10097	8301	282	5/42	5/42	29.43	4.93	35.8	7	1
T20I	17	17	352	448	17	4/19	4/19	26.35	7.63	20.7	1	0
IPL	100	99	2200	2782	102	4/17	4/17	27.27	7.59	21.57	0	0
FC	169		34279	18799	672	9/138		27.97	3.29	51.0		35
List A	253		12745	10404	357	5/42	5/42	29.14	4.89	35.7	10	1
T20	138	137	3044	3802	139	4/17	4/17	27.35	7.49	21.8	2	0

Zaheer Khan fastest ball: 145.1 kmph

One name that always shines bright among the best Indian pace bowlers of all time- Zaheer Khan. He is considered the second-best Indian fast bowler in the history of Test cricket. Every list of Indian fast bowlers mentions the name Zaheer Khan in golden letters. The 2011 Arjuna Awardee always makes a special space in our memory for his incredible bowling in the world cup of the same year. Every list of Indian fast bowlers essentially mentions Zaheer Khan.

4. Navdeep Saini

Navdeep Saini Career Statistics

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w
Test	2	4	251	172	4	2/54	4/119	43.00	4.11	62.7	0	0
ODI	8	8	420	481	6	2/58	2/58	80.16	6.87	70.0	0	0
T20I	11	9	197	235	13	3/17	3/17	18.07	7.15	15.1	0	0
IPL	30	30	622	900	20	2/24	–	45.0	8.68	31.1	0	0
FC	53	91	8752	4264	148	6/32	7/79	28.81	2.92	59.1	4	4
List A	55	55	2813	2477	81	5/46	5/46	30.58	5.28	34.7	2	1
T20	68	66	1434	1783	56	3/17	3/17	31.83	7.46	25.6	0	0

Fastest ball by Navdeep Saini: 152.85 km/h

Navdeep Amarjeet Saini is a cricketer from India. He has been with Delhi since 2013. In August 2019, he made his international debut for the Indian cricket team. In June 2018, he was named to India’s Test squad as a replacement for Mohammed Shami for a one-off match against Afghanistan, but he did not play. He was named a standby bowler for the 2019 Cricket World Cup in April 2019. He was named to India’s ODI and Twenty20 International (T20I) squads for the series against the West Indies. On August 3, 2019, he made his T20I debut against the West Indies. In his four overs, he took three wickets, including Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer in two consecutive deliveries.

3. Mohammad Shami

Mohammad Shami Career Statistics

Format	M	Inn	B	Mdn	Runs	W	BB	Econ	Avg	SR	4W	5W
Test	59	112	10605	271	5789	214	6/56	3.27	27.05	49.5	11	6
ODI	79	78	3930	39	3793	148	5/69	5.62	25.62	27.3	9	1
T20I	17	17	238	0	568	18	3/38	9.54	31.55	19.8	0	0
IPL	49	49	1032	0	1547	40	3/21	8.99	38.7	25.8	0	0
1st class	83	156	13738	461	8438	317	7/79	3.24	26.61	49.1	12	12
List A	110	109	5450	49	5105	205	5/69	5.50	24.90	27.1	13	1
T20	130	130	1730	2	3840	154	4/24	8.24	24.93	18.1	1	0

Mohammad Shami Fastest ball: 146 km/h

The fastest Indian bowler to take 100 ODI wickets, Shami continues to be a favorable choice among the Indian cricket team bowlers. On his ODI debut against Pakistan, he bowled a memorable 4 over maiden. Since then he has continued to find a suitable spot in the team. Shami’s surprising swings puzzle even the greatest of batsmen today. Consequently, he appears in the list of best Indian fast bowlers.

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2. Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan Career Statistics

Format	M	Inn	B	Mdn	Runs	W	BB	Econ	Avg	SR	4W	5W
Test	29	54	5884	212	3226	100	7/59	3.28	32.3	58.8	2	7
ODI	120	118	5855	53	5142	173	5/27	5.26	29.7	33.8	5	2
T20I	24	23	462	1	618	28	3/16	8.02	22.1	16.5	0	0
IPL	103	101	2043	10	2649	80	3/24	7.77	33.1	25.5	0	0
1st class	122	204	21034	735	10880	384	7/35	3.10	28.3	54.8	16	19
List A	193	190	9365	94	7898	272	5/27	5.06	29.0	34.4	7	2
T20	181	175	3606	13	4568	173	5/13	7.60	26.2	20.7	2	1

Fastest ball by Irfan Pathan: 153.7 km/h

The emerging player of the year 2004, Irfan set the standard for the Indian fast bowlers yet to come. When India won the inaugural World T20 in 2007, Irfan was the one to dismiss 3 power-batsmen from Pakistan. A legendary bowler who at the peak of his bowling career became the first Indian fast bowler to take three wickets in the first over of a test match. No doubt, his tremendous speed bowling got him a spot in the list of Indian fast bowlers.

1. Umran Malik

Umran Malik Career Statistics

Fastest Indian Bowler: Umran Malik (157 km/h)

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w
IPL	16	16	354	516	23	5/25		22.4	8.74	15.4	1	1
FC	3	5	348	289	7	3/89	4/121	41.28	4.98	49.7	0	0
List A	1	1	60	98	1	1/98	1/98	98.00	9.80	60.0	0	0
T20	21	21	474	693	32	5/25	5/25	21.65	8.77	14.8	2	1

Umran Malik was born on November 22, 1999. He is a J&K-based Indian cricketer. On January 18, 2021, Umar made his T20 debut. He was representing Jammu and Kashmir in the 2020–21 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. On February 27, 2021, the young cricketer made his List A debut for Jammu & Kashmir in the 2020–21 Vijay Hazare Trophy.  Umar Malik got lucky when the Sunrisers Hyderabad named him as a short-term Covid-19 replacement for T. Natarajan in September 2021.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the best fast bowler in India?

Bumrah has become a valuable weapon in limited-overs cricket because of his ability to bowl accurate yorkers and surprise the opposition with variations in the last overs. His biggest influence has, however, been felt in Test cricket, where he has established himself as a crucial part of India’s strategy, particularly while playing on hostile territory. During the first Test match of the 2018 Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, he recorded a speed of 153.26 kph. With 21 wickets, Bumrah finished the series tied for the most wickets taken, aiding India in their historic series victory in Australia.

Who is the fastest bowler in Indian cricket history?

157 kph Umran Malik
Before the IPL 2022 super auction, SRH kept three players, including him. Umran Malik has already established himself as one of the season’s top performers in his first full IPL season in 2022. Malik has achieved speeds of 153.3 kph, 153.1 kph, 153 kph, 152.9 kph, 152.6 kph, 152.4 kph, 152.3 kph, and 152 kph while working with renowned pace bowler Dale Steyn, who is a member of SRH’s backroom staff.

At the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, he recorded a speed of 157 kph while playing against the Delhi Capitals. The fastest ball bowled by an Indian in the IPL, it is only second in speed to Shaun Tait’s all-time record-breaking delivery in the Indian Premier League.

Who is the fastest bowler in India 2019?

Jasprit Bumrah is the fastest bowler in India as of 2019. During the first Test match of the 2018 Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, he recorded a speed of 153.26 kph. With 21 wickets, Bumrah finished the series tied for the most wickets taken, aiding India in their historic series victory in Australia.

Who are the best bowlers in India?

Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Anil Kumble (956 wickets), Kapil Dev (687 wickets), Harbhajan Singh (665 wickets), Zaheer Khan (573 wickets),  Javagal Srinath (551 wickets), and Mohammad Shami are some of the best bowlers in India.

Who is the fastest bowler in cricket history?

Pakistani Shoaib Akhtar (161.3 kmph)
In the 2003 World Cup match against England, Akhtar delivered a 161.3 kmph (100.2 mph) delivery towards Nick Knight, who was defending the ball on the leg side, breaking the 100 mph barrier for the first time in cricket history.

Who is the slowest bowler in the world?

When Majid Haq was bowling with the wind in his favor, he simply had a time of 41.6 miles per hour. The current holder of this dubious record is Scotland’s off-spinner Majid Haq, who is 32 years old and is currently fighting for his country in the World Cup.

Who is the world’s fastest bowler now?

With an astounding average speed of 143.2 kph, Mitchell Starc of Australia, a left-arm fast bowler, is the second-fastest bowler in the world right now, behind only the top bowler by 0.1 kph. In 2015, he bowled with a speed of 160.4 km/h against Ross Taylor of New Zealand. 2017 June 10 saw a Champions Trophy match at Edgbaston. Starc, who is a super-fast bowler as well, also grabbed a wicket during this game. Starc has led Australia’s bowling attack with Pat Cummins, continuing the legacy of Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, and Jason Gillespie.