Left-arm pacers with best innings figures in India (Tests)
What's the story
Left-arm pacer Marco Jansen bolstered South Africa with a historic spell against India in the 2nd Test in Guwahati. He took six wickets as the Proteas bowled India out for 201 on Day 3. The visitors earlier racked up a mammoth 489. According to Cricbuzz, Jansen now has the fourth-best innings figures for a left-arm fast bowler in Tests in India.
#1
John Lever (England): 7/46, Delhi, 1976
England, led by Tony Greig, hammered India in the 1976 Delhi Test by an innings and 25 runs. Dennis Amiss's historic 179 powered England to 381 in their only innings. India, who received a follow-on, perished for 122 and 234. The first innings was marked by John Lever's brilliance as he took seven wickets for 46 runs (23 overs). He tops this elite list.
#2
Geoff Dymock (Australia): 7/67, Kanpur, 1979
The second spot is occupied by the former Australian pacer Geoff Dymock. Although Australia lost the Test by 153 runs, Dymock's second-innings seven-wicket haul entered the record books. The former left-arm seamer, who took a fifer in the first innings, followed it up with a record 7/67 in the second. However, Australia perished for 125 while chasing 279.
#3
Alan Davidson (Australia): 7/93, Kanpur, 1959
Two decades before the aforementioned match, India claimed a similar win over Australia at the same venue. This time, the Aussies were bowled out for 105 in an attempt to chase down 225. However, Alan Davidson kept Australia alive by taking seven wickets in the second innings. His 7/93 (57.3 overs) bowled India out for 291. The former seamer earlier took a fifer.
#4
Marco Jansen (South Africa): 6/48, Guwahati, 2025
As mentioned, Jansen is the latest entrant on this elite list. He is the only other left-arm pacer with a Test six-fer in India. According to Cricbuzz, Jansen now has the third-best innings figures for a South African pacer in Tests in India. He also became the third left-arm pacer to record a Test fifer in India since 1988.