Most Dot Balls in Test Innings

Most Dot Balls in Test Innings is a definitive measure of a bowler's absolute precision and sustained pressure during a single session of play. This record is epitomized by the legendary performance of India’s Bapu Nadkarni.
In the 1964 Madras Test against England, Nadkarni delivered a mind-boggling 131 consecutive dot balls (spanning 21.5 maiden overs), finishing with figures of 32-27-5-0. This remains the gold standard for economic bowling in Test history. As of 2026, with the rise of high-scoring tactical shifts like "Bazball," such extended periods of scoreless dominance have become a rarity. This statistic represents more than just a lack of scoring; it reflects a psychological siege where the bowler systematically suffocates the batter's scoring options, turning the cricket field into a battle of attrition and technical discipline.
 

RANK 1

Michael Bracewell

NZ

Dots

255

Wkts

1

RANK 2

Prabath Jayasuriya

SL

Dots

238

Wkts

3

RANK 3

Deepti Sharma

IND-W

Dots

225

Wkts

2

Rank Player Mat Dots Wkts Maiden Runs
1 1 255 1 11 138
2 1 238 3 8 193
3 1 225 2 10 95
4 1 218 0 11 95
5 1 216 5 10 107
6 1 205 5 5 198
7 1 204 4 15 76
8 1 200 5 8 119
9 1 197 3 10 122
10 1 196 2 5 151
11 1 195 2 12 111
12 1 191 5 8 143
13 1 191 3 5 113
14 1 191 1 7 146
15 1 190 5 5 173
16 1 189 3 5 137
17 1 189 0 2 154
18 1 188 2 1 145
19 1 185 4 7 104
20 1 184 1 7 109
21 1 183 7 5 102
22 1 179 3 21 23
23 1 177 3 3 196
24 1 176 5 4 121
25 1 175 5 4 131
26 1 172 4 6 76
27 1 171 4 8 86
28 1 171 3 10 105
29 1 171 1 1 159
30 1 169 3 2 167
31 1 169 3 5 160
32 1 168 4 2 114
33 1 168 0 3 136
34 1 167 2 2 132
35 1 165 2 5 96
36 1 165 0 5 135
37 1 163 2 3 126
38 1 162 1 6 141
39 1 161 5 1 170
40 1 161 4 5 136
41 1 161 1 7 111
42 1 160 3 5 110
43 1 159 3 9 63
44 1 159 1 3 156
45 1 158 6 6 79
46 1 158 2 12 55
47 1 156 3 1 138
48 1 156 2 10 75
49 1 155 4 7 67
50 1 154 1 5 90
51 1 153 2 5 99
52 1 153 1 6 80
53 1 152 5 11 70
54 1 152 3 6 98
55 1 151 6 3 112
56 1 151 2 4 100
57 1 149 1 5 98
58 1 148 3 4 148
59 1 147 5 5 89
60 1 147 0 2 171
61 1 145 5 7 64
62 1 145 0 5 82
63 1 144 4 0 143
64 1 144 3 5 96
65 1 143 7 4 97
66 1 142 5 6 151
67 1 142 3 2 98
68 1 142 2 5 112
69 1 142 0 0 152
70 1 142 0 5 83
71 1 141 5 3 122
72 1 141 3 4 141
73 1 140 1 10 102
74 1 139 1 11 49
75 1 138 4 8 74
76 1 138 2 3 88
77 1 137 4 7 90
78 1 137 2 4 88
79 1 137 1 5 101
80 1 136 2 10 87
81 1 136 1 4 79
82 1 136 1 7 52
83 1 135 5 7 68
84 1 135 2 7 61
85 1 135 0 6 106
86 1 134 3 4 93
87 1 133 4 5 86
88 1 133 4 9 99
89 1 133 3 7 57
90 1 133 3 2 139