List of Indian bowlers who have taken hat-tricks in international cricket

A hat-trick is one of the most exciting and difficult achievements in the game of cricket, which requires a bowler to dismiss three batters with three successive deliveries. It’s a moment that demands incredible control, accuracy, and the skill to handle the incredible pressure, making it one of the most celebrated feats in the sport, especially for the bowlers. For India, the list is quite rare. 

In Indian cricket, the milestone has been achieved by a handful of bowlers, who managed to achieve the rare feat on the international stage. Across the three formats of Tests, ODIs, and T20Is, the Indian bowlers have produced memorable spells to change the momentum of the games within just a few deliveries.

The achievement has been shared by both the pace bowlers and the spinners equally over the years. On one hand, the pacers have relied on movement, bounce, and variations using the fiery speed of the bowlers, while the spinners, meanwhile, have used the flight, turn, and deception to put the opposition under pressure.

Some of the hat-tricks from the Indian bowlers came when the team was under pressure at the crucial phases of the games, while others have been part of dominant bowlers' performances. Everyone has added another memorable chapter to the blue brigade’s international cricket history.

Every Indian bowler to take a hat-trick in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is — full list

The list highlights the Indian bowling evolution over the different generations of the game. Starting from the early pace and spin specialists of the country to the fast-bowling modern-day stars of the blue in the modern age, many players have demonstrated the ability required to collect three successive wickets.

Here is a look at the list of Indian bowlers who have taken hat-tricks in international cricket, across the three formats of the game-

#1 Chetan Sharma vs New Zealand in 1987-

It was the 24th encounter of the Reliance World Cup 1987 between India and New Zealand in Nagpur when the Blackcaps batted first and posted a decent score of 221 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 50 overs. Most of their batters got starts but failed to convert them into double figures.

During the batting performance of the Kiwis, India’s Chetan Sharma became the first bowler of the country to celebrate a hat-trick when he dismissed three batters, Dipak Patel, Ken Rutherford, and Ian Smith, on three successive deliveries to earn success with the ball. He finished with figures of 3/51 in 10 overs, including two maidens.

India later completed the chase by nine wickets with nearly 18 overs to spare as Sunil Gavaskar thumped a dashing unbeaten knock of 103 runs off 88 balls at a strike rate of 117.04 in the 136-run opening stand with Kris Srikkanth.

#2 Kapil Dev vs Sri Lanka in 1991-

It was the final encounter of the 1990-91 Asia Cup featuring India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, who failed to reach the final of the competition, that was staged at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The visitors were reduced to 204 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 45 overs, which included Kapil Dev’s hat-trick when he dismissed RS Mahanama, RJ Ratnayake, and Sanath Jayasuriya. 

Meanwhile, the blue brigade completed the chase of 205 runs by three wickets with 17 balls to spare. Sanjay Manjrekar smashed an unbeaten knock of 75 runs along with fifties from captain Mohammad Azharuddin and Sachin Tendulkar. They went on to win the title.

#3 Harbhajan Singh vs Australia in 2001-

It was the second Test of the 2001 series between India and Australia at the Eden Gardens. In the first innings, Harbhajan Singh claimed fine bowling figures of 7/123, including a hat-trick when he dismissed three batters- Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, and Shane Warne- becoming the very first bowler of the Indian side to take a Test hat-trick.

India, meanwhile, after being followed on in the third innings of the clash, set a massive target of 384 runs. The visitors, in the end, were blown away for 212 runs and lost the contest by 171 runs. Harbhajan again picked up six wickets with the ball as Gilchrist was dismissed for another golden duck in the encounter.

#4 Irfan Pathan vs Pakistan in 2006-

The start of the third Test match between India and Pakistan in 2006 at the National Stadium in Karachi doesn’t reflect how the blue brigade progressed in the entire encounter. The visiting left-arm pacer, Irfan Pathan, collected the three wickets of Salman Butt, Younis Khan, and Mohammad Yousuf, to claim the hat-trick in the very first over of the innings. He ended up with 5/61 in 17.1 overs.

India, getting bundled out for 238 in the first innings, were given a massive chase of 607 runs in the fourth innings. Yuvraj Singh slammed a fine knock of 122 runs off 144 balls but couldn’t save the blue brigade from the 341-run defeat as Abdul Razzaq ended up with 4/88 in his 18.4 overs, while Mohammad Asif had 3/48 in 12 overs.

#5 Kuldeep Yadav vs Australia in 2017-

It was the second 50-over fixture between India and Australia from the 2017 series at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, when the blue brigade, batting first, was bundled out for just 252 runs. At 85/2, the visitors were in a strong position in the chase with Glen Maxwell, Steve Smith, and other batters still to come. But Kuldeep Yadav had other plans.

The left-arm leg spinner dismissed Matthew Wade as the ball took the inside edge and hit the stumps. It was followed by the wicket of Ashton Agar, who was trapped leg before the stumps for a golden duck, while MS Dhoni’s lightning-fast stumping rewarded Kuldeep with his first international hat-trick with the wicket of Pat Cummins. Australia, in the end, were bundled out for 202 and lost the game by 50 runs.

#6 Mohammed Shami vs Afghanistan vs 2019-

It was the group-stage encounter of the 2019 ODI World Cup against Afghanistan at the Rose Bowl in Southampton where the blue brigade struggled against the Afghan spinners on a dry surface and made their way to 224 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their allotted 50 overs. The Gulbadin Naib-led side was well ahead in the chase before Mohammed Shami turned the game on its head.

The Bengal pacer was given the ball in the final over with the opponent needing 13 runs off the final four balls. On the third ball of the over, Shami dismissed Mohammad Nabi before Aftab Alam went back to the pavilion for a golden duck. Finally, he dismissed Mujeeb Ur Rahman, becoming just the second Indian bowler to pick up a WC hat-trick.

#7 Jasprit Bumrah vs West Indies in 2019-

During the second Test of the 2019 series against the West Indies at Kingston, Jamaica, India posted a massive score of 416 runs on the board. And the hosts found themselves in deep trouble to face the premier pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, who claimed his first hat-trick in the game with the wickets of Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks, and Roston Chase. 

Bumrah wasn’t sure about Chase’s dismissal. But his captain, Virat Kohli, was reluctant and went for the review, only to overturn the umpire’s not-out decision on the field. The Ahmedabad-born finished with 6/27, and India went on to win the contest by 257 runs. 

#8 Kuldeep Yadav vs West Indies in 2019-

In the second ODI of the series in 2019 against West Indies in Visakhapatnam, the hosts, thanks to the 227-run opening stand from the two centurions, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, posted a massive score of 387 runs for the loss of five wickets. The visitors went off to a strong start with a 61-run opening stand in the chase, before their middle order crumbled against Kuldeep.

The Uttar Pradesh spinner dismissed Shai Hope for 78 runs off 65 balls due to a superb catch by Kohli. On the very next delivery, he collected the wicket of Jason Holder with Rishabh Pant completing an excellent stumping.

The left-arm spinner went with a wrong’un and got his third successive wicket of Alzarri Joseph and became the very first Indian bowler to take two international hat-tricks. They went on to win the game by 107 runs.

#9 Deepak Chahar vs Bangladesh in 2019-

In India's T20I series decider in Nagpur in 2019, India set a target of 175 runs for Bangladesh, shouldering the two fifties from Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. Mohammad Naim, for the tourists, clubbed 81 runs off 48 balls, while the rest of the line-up failed to make an impact in the encounter. 

Deepak Chahar became India’s first and only bowler to pick up a T20I hat-trick. On the final ball of the 18th over, he dismissed Shafiul Islam before opening his last over with two successive wickets of Mustafizur Rahman and Aminul Islam to get the milestone. He finished with magical figures of 6/7 to win the contest by 30 runs.

List of Indian bowlers who have taken international hat-tricks- FAQs