Arshdeep Singh has become the highest wicket-taker for India in T20 Internationals within a single calendar year, reaching 38 wickets in the format during 2026. The left-arm pacer moved past the previous national mark of 37, which Bhuvneshwar Kumar had set in 2022, during the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand.
The milestone was reached in the context of the second T20I at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, where Arshdeep returned figures of 2 for 33 as New Zealand posted 180 for 5. India require 181 runs to seal a 2-0 series lead. The first T20I of the series was held at the same venue on October 22, 2026, with India heading into the second match leading 1-0.
New Zealand's innings was anchored by a commanding partnership between Glenn Phillips and Bevon Jacobs, who combined for 116 runs off 76 balls. Phillips was the more aggressive of the two, striking 70 off 43 deliveries, while Jacobs contributed a measured 58 off 46 balls. The pair lifted the hosts to a total that presented India with a genuine challenge. Among the other Indian bowlers, Axar Patel took 1 for 31, Prince Yadav claimed 1 for 30, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned 1 for 50.
How does Arshdeep's 2026 tally compare with the all-time India list for most T20I wickets in a calendar year?
Arshdeep's 38 wickets in 2026 place him at the summit of the all-time chart for most T20I wickets by an Indian bowler in a single calendar year. Bhuvneshwar Kumar's 37 wickets from 2022 now sit in second position on that list.
Arshdeep himself features again further down the rankings. His haul of 36 wickets in 2024 is level with Varun Chakravarthy's tally of 36 wickets taken in 2025, with both entries sharing third position. A further entry from Arshdeep, 33 wickets in 2022, also appears on the chart, underlining how consistently he has ranked among India's most productive T20I bowlers across multiple years.
The record therefore shows Arshdeep occupying two of the top positions on the list, with his 2026 and 2024 returns both standing among the highest single-year figures produced by any Indian T20I bowler.Here is the data formatted into a clean, easy-to-read table:
|
Wickets |
Player |
Year |
|
38 |
Arshdeep Singh |
2026 |
|
37 |
Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
2022 |
|
36 |
Arshdeep Singh |
2024 |
|
36 |
Varun Chakravarthy |
2025 |
|
33 |
Arshdeep Singh |
2022 |
What did the second T20I at Hagley Oval reveal about New Zealand's batting depth?
The innings at Hagley Oval demonstrated New Zealand's ability to construct a large total through a middle-order partnership rather than an explosive top-order start. The Phillips-Jacobs stand of 116 runs in 76 balls was the centrepiece of the innings, carrying the hosts comfortably past 150 and ultimately to 180 for 5.
Phillips was the more forceful of the two, hitting 70 off 43 balls, while Jacobs played a measured but effective role with 58 off 46 deliveries. The partnership arrived at a stage of the innings when India needed wickets to apply the brakes, and the failure to break the stand early proved costly for the visitors.
Arshdeep's 2 for 33 made him the leading wicket-taker on the Indian side in the match. His ability to claim two wickets while conceding at a controlled rate, even as the Phillips-Jacobs partnership flourished at the other end, illustrates why he has accumulated wickets at such a high rate throughout 2026.
