A bowler taking 10 wickets in an innings is the same as a batter scoring a double or triple hundred. It’s a terrific feat, but not many bowlers have achieved it in Test and first-class cricket.
Anil Kumble, though, is one of the three bowlers who took a ‘Perfect 10’ in Tests for India. But he isn’t the only Indian to do so in first-class cricket.
On November 15, 2024, Haryana’s Anshul Kamboj joined the legendary leg spinner in a prestigious list of six Indian bowlers with 10 wickets in a first-class innings.
So, let’s look at their rare achievement of taking all 10 wickets in an innings in first-class cricket.
1. Subhash Gupte (Bombay): 10/78 vs Pakistan Servies and Bahawalpur Combined XI, Dec 1954
In December 1954, Subhash Gupte became the first Indian bowler to take all 10 wickets in an innings in first-class cricket. The legendary Indian leg spinner achieved this feat against a combined XI of Pakistan Services and Bahawalpur.
The combined XI batted first, but Gupte made them dance to his tune. He dismantled their batting lineup in 152 runs.
The former Bombay (now Mumbai) bowler finished his spell of 24.2 overs with 10 wickets while conceding 78 runs.
2. Premangsu Chatterjee (Bengal): 10/20 vs Assam, Jan 1957
Premangsu Chatterjee was the first Indian bowler to pick up 10 wickets in an innings in a Ranji Trophy match. He recorded magical figures of 10 for 20 against Assam in the 1956/57 Ranji Trophy.
The match started on Republic Day in Jorhat, with Bengal batting first. They amassed 505 runs in their batting essay.
Assam came out to bat, but their batter lineup fell like a pack of cards against Chatterjee. The left-arm pacer ran through Assam’s batting lineup alone, wrapping up them for just 54 runs.
Chatterjee bowled 19 of the 33 Assam faced in their innings, with 11 of them being maidens. His bowling figures are still the third-best in all first-class cricket.
3. Pradeep Sunderam (Rajasthan): 10/78 vs Vidarbha, Nov 1985
After almost 28 seasons, the Ranji Trophy witnessed a bowler achieve this feat after Chatterjee. Rajasthan’s Pradeep Sunderam cleaned up Vidarbha in November 1985.
Rajasthan won the toss and elected to bowl first. Sunderam proved his captain’s decision correct by pushing Vidarbha in the corner.
The right-arm fast bowler was all over Vidarbha from the beginning, opening the wickets account on the score of one and further reducing them to 8/6. Sunderam kept bowling from one end for 22 straight overs to end up with all 10 scalps.
He took another six wickets in the second innings to register the match figures of 16 for 154, the best in the Ranji Trophy.
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4. Anil Kumble (India): 10/74 vs Pakistan, Feb 1999
The only Indian bowler to record the feat in Test cricket, Anil Kumble, gave us one of the best bowling performances. The former wrist spinner imitated Jim Laker’s accomplishment in Test cricket.
In the second Test between India and Pakistan in Delhi, pulled the plugs from the visitors batting lineup. Three innings of the match were done, and Pakistan were out chasing 420 on the fourth day.
Pakistan had enough time to either win or draw the match. And they looked set to go for a win with a 101-run stand up for the first wicket.
But things took a sharp turn after lunch as Kumble deceived the visitors with his clever leg spin. Pakistan’s all 10 wickets fell in the next 106 runs, with Kumble finishing with figures of 10 for 74.
5. Debasis Mohanty (East Zone): 10/46 vs South Zone, Jan 2001
Just two years after Kumble’s mavericks, Debasis Mohanty joined this elite list. He attained the feat while playing for East Zone against South Zone in the 2000/01 Duleep Trophy.
The former Odisha player exhibited his fast bowling skills against a team that involved Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. Dravid was the captain of South Zone, and he chose to bat first.
But his men faltered against Mohanty’s bowling, getting all out for 113 runs. Mohanty struck at regular intervals to end up with figures of 10 for 46 in 19 overs.
6. Anshul Kamboj (Haryana): 10/49 vs Kerala, Nov 2024
Anshul Kamboj became the latest entrant on this list. He rocked back Kerala in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy fixture in Lahli.
The Haryana pacer pierced through Kerala’s batting lineup after his captain elected to bowl first. He got to work immediately, drawing the first blood in the first over.
Kerala’s batters showed resistance against Kamboj’s relentless bowling effort. But the young fast bowler found his way around them, grabbing all 10 scalps for 49 runs in 30.1 overs.
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