Of course, the maximum number of wickets that any bowler can take in single innings, Test match or otherwise, is ten. In the history of Test cricket, which dates back to March 15, 1877, just three male bowlers have taken all ten wickets in an innings. The first, and most famous, of them was England off-spinner James ‘ Jim’ Laker, who took 10 for 53 in the second innings of the fourth Test against Australia at Old Trafford, Manchester in July, 1956. In what became known as ‘Laker’s Match’, the Yorkshireman had already taken 9 for 37 in the first innings, thereby finishing the match with figures of 19 for 90, which is still the record for the most wickets taken by any male bowler in a Test match.
Next on the highly select list comes Indian leg-break googly bowler Anil Kumble, who took 10 for 74 in the second innings of the second Test of the Pakistan tour of India at Feroz Shah Kotla in February, 1999. Chasing 420 to win the match, Pakistan started brightly enough, with opening batsmen Saeed Anwar and Shahid Afridi sharing a century partnership before Afridi was dismissed on 41. However, incoming batsman Ijaz Ahmed was trapped lbw first ball and, thereafter, only Saleem Malik and captain Wasim Akram, whose wicket was the last to fall, reached double figures. Pakistan were bowled out for 207, giving India victory by 212 runs.
Last, but by no means least, comes another Indian-born bowler, Ajaz Patel, a left-arm orthodox spinner by trade, who emigrated to New Zealnd with his family as a child. In December, 2021, Patel returned to his birthplace, Mumbai, and took 10 for 119 in the first innings of the second Test of the New Zealand tour of India at Wankhede Stadium. Unfortunately, unlike Laker and Kumble, his remarkable feat was in vain; in their first innings, New Zealand were skittled out for just 62, with Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin taking 4 for 8, and were eventually trounced by 372 runs,