A batting-friendly surface at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati turned the contest between India and the West Indies into a formidable challenge for bowlers. India chose to field first after winning the coin toss, only to watch the West Indies batting lineup mount a ferocious assault to amass a mammoth 405 runs. During the encounter, seamer Gurnoor Brar conceded 96 runs in his spell. While India crossed the finish line to register a victory, the bowling numbers reflected an exhausting afternoon. In one-day international cricket, several Indian bowlers have similarly found themselves on the receiving end of relentless hitting.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar Concedes Record Runs Against South Africa in Mumbai
The record for the most expensive spell by an Indian bowler in ODIs belongs to seam bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Recognized globally for his disciplined swing and precision with the new ball, Bhuvneshwar endured an uncharacteristically off day in October 2015 at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. Taking on a destructive South African batting order, he proved completely ineffective across his spell. Bhuvneshwar leaked 106 runs in his full quota of 10 overs, an unwanted national record that remains the most runs surrendered by an Indian bowler in a single one-day match.
R. Vinay Kumar Takes Heavy Punishment Against Australia in Bengaluru
Holding the second spot on this list is former seamer R. Vinay Kumar, whose outing at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru became an uphill struggle. In that high-profile November 2013 clash against Australia, Rohit Sharma made headlines by registering his maiden ODI double hundred. However, during the second innings, the Australian top order launched a brutal counter-attack focused heavily on Vinay Kumar. The bowler could not even complete his designated 10 overs, finishing with figures of 102 runs conceded from just 9 overs.
Gurnoor Brar Encounters Rough Conditions at Lord's
Fast bowler Gurnoor Brar, who recently made his debut for the national side, occupies the third position on the tally. Playing during India's tour of England in July 2026, Brar faced intense pressure in the third ODI at the historic Lord's Cricket Ground. The English batters attacked his deliveries continuously, causing him to concede 97 runs across 10 overs at an expensive economy rate of 9.70 while failing to pick up a single wicket. This performance stands as the priciest ODI spell by an Indian paceman in overseas conditions.
New Zealand Punishes Bhuvneshwar Kumar in Kanpur
The fourth position belongs once again to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, highlighting another rare high-scoring outing during his international career. In October 2017, India clashed with New Zealand at Green Park Stadium in Kanpur. Despite India managing to secure a narrow triumph in the fixture, New Zealand's batsmen took severe toll of Bhuvneshwar's deliveries. He ended his 10 overs having given away 92 runs, which ranks as the fourth most expensive bowling display for the national team.
Yuzvendra Chahal Under Pressure at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Completing the top five is leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, making him the sole specialist slow bowler featured in these unwanted statistics. During the series opener against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground in November 2020, Australian batsmen went after him right from the start. Chahal bowled his full allotment of 10 overs, giving away 89 runs while managing to take only 1 wicket. At the time, that bowling return marked the most expensive spell ever delivered by an Indian spinner in ODI history.
