India mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy overtook compatriots R Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi to set a new record during the third T20I against South Africa on Wednesday (November 13).
In the third match of the series in Centurion, India were put in to bat by Aiden Markram, and racked up 219-6, thanks to a magnificent century from Tilak Varma (107*) and a half-century from Abhishek Sharma.
In reply, South Africa lost openers Ryan Rickelton and Reeza Hendricks within the Powerplay, before Heinrich Klaasen provided some hope through the middle overs. Marco Jansen slammed 54 off 17 balls down the order, but it was all too late as the hosts slipped to an 11-run loss.
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Arshdeep Singh starred for India with 3-37, while Varun Chakravarthy took 2-54, coming in for some punishment from Klaasen in his last over. The India spinner dismissed Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram.
This innings took Varun's tally for the series to 10 wickets, following hauls of 3-25 and 5-17 in Durban and Gqeberha. There is one match remaining in the series, but he has already broken an Indian record.
Varun Chakravarthy sets new Indian record for most wickets in a T20I series
Varun is now the first Indian man to take 10 wickets in a bilateral T20I series. The previous Indian record was nine, held jointly by Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi.
Ashwin did so in 2016, taking 2-13, 3-14 and 4-8 in three matches against Sri Lanka to also register an enviable economy rate of 3.18 runs per over. Bishnoi's nine wickets came in five matches, in a home T20I series against Australia immediately after the 2023 World Cup. He took 1-54, 3-32, 2-32, 1-17 and 2-29.
Varun is the second Indian overall to take 10 wickets in a bilateral T20I series. On India Women's tour of Bangladesh earlier this year, Poonam Yadav took 10 wickets in five matches, with returns of 1-19, 3-19, 2-22, 1-12 and 3-24.
| Player | Matches | Wickets | Best Figures | Opposition | Year |
| Varun Chakravarthy | 3* | 10* | 5/17 | South Africa | 2024 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 3 | 9 | 4/8 | Sri Lanka | 2016 |
| Ravi Bishnoi | 5 | 9 | 3/32 | Australia | 2023 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 3 | 8 | 6/25 | England | 2017 |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | 2 | 8 | 4/23 | Sri Lanka | 2017 |
| Deepak Chahar | 3 | 8 | 6/7 | Bangladesh | 2019 |
| Shardul Thakur | 5 | 8 | 2/21 | Zimbabwe | 2020 |
| Shardul Thakur | 5 | 8 | 3/42 | England | 2021 |
| Ravi Bishnoi | 3 | 8 | 4/16 | West Indies | 2022 |
| Axar Patel | 3 | 8 | 3/17 | Australia | 2022 |
| Mukesh Kumar | 3 | 8 | 4/22 | Zimbabwe | 2024 |
| Washington Sundar | 5 | 8 | 3/15 | Zimbabwe | 2024 |
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