Arshdeep Singh overtakes Yuzvendra Chahal as India’s highest T20I wicket-taker, closes in on iconic '100' milestone

Arshdeep Singh became India's highest wicket-taker in T20Is, overtaking spinner Yuzvendra Chahal.

Arshdeep Singh created history on Wednesday as he overtook spinner Yuzvendra Chahal to become India's highest wicket-taker in T20Is. The left-arm pacer took the wicket of Ben Duckett during the first T20I of the series against England to reach the feat; interestingly, he equalled Chahal in the same match. Arshdeep dismissed Phil Salt in his first over, and followed it up with Duckett's in the second.

Arshdeep Singh, center, celebrates with captain Suryakumar Yadav, right, and Axar Patel after taking the wicket of England's Ben Duckett (PTI)

Arshdeep has been one of the mainstays in the Indian T20I lineup for many years, and went past Chahal in his 61st match in the format. The bowler emerged among a rare breed of left-armers in India, and last week, Arshdeep was also named in the Indian ODI squad for the Champions Trophy.

Take a look at India's top-5 highest wicket-takers in the shortest format (* denotes players currently in XI against England in 1st T20I):

• Arshdeep Singh - 97*
• Yuzvendra Chahal - 96
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar - 90
• Jasprit Bumrah - 89
• Hardik Pandya - 89*

Arshdeep, however, is still significantly far from the highest wicket-taker in T20Is, New Zealand's Tim Southee, who has an incredible 164 wickets to his name in 126 matches. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan, 161), Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh, 149), Ish Sodhi (New Zealand, 138), and Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh, 132) make the top-5 among T20I wicket-takers.

India opted to bowl

Team India returned to the T20I format after over two months, having last appeared in November during the series against South Africa. Suryakumar Yadav opted to bowl in Kolkata, but Mohammed Shami's absence from the XI was a major disappointment.

Shami received his first international call-up in 14 months following an injury-related absence, and his comeback was among the major talking points from the first T20I in Kolkata. The Indian bowler is also named in the ODI squad against England, as well as the Champions Trophy next month, where India play all of their matches in Dubai.