By June 2014, who among the following bowlers was the highest wicket taker for India in Test cricket?

Introduction / Context:
Test cricket records are an important part of sports general knowledge, and exam questions often ask about the leading run scorers or wicket takers for a country. For India, several legendary bowlers have taken large numbers of wickets, but one of them stands clearly at the top of the list. The question specifies the time frame as up to June 2014 and asks which of the listed bowlers had taken the most Test wickets for India by that date.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The format is Test cricket.
• The reference date is June 2014.
• The bowlers listed are Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Kapil Dev, and Zaheer Khan.
• We must identify who had the highest number of Test wickets for India by that time.

Concept / Approach:
The concept is statistical record recall. Anil Kumble is widely recognised as India leading wicket taker in Test cricket, with more than 600 wickets. Kapil Dev, Harbhajan Singh, and Zaheer Khan also have impressive tallies, but their numbers are significantly lower than Kumble total. By June 2014, no other Indian bowler had come close to his aggregate. The approach is therefore to remember that Kumble stands alone at the top of India Test wicket charts and to choose his name whenever such a question is asked for that period.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that the question is about the highest number of Test wickets for India, not about all countries together. Step 2: Recall the approximate wicket tallies of the bowlers mentioned: Anil Kumble is above 600 Test wickets, Kapil Dev slightly above 400, Harbhajan Singh over 400, and Zaheer Khan fewer than them. Step 3: Compare these numbers and note that Kumble total is clearly higher than the others. Step 4: Consider the reference date, June 2014, and recall that by this time no Indian bowler had overtaken Kumble record. Step 5: Select Anil Kumble as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done by checking relative positions rather than exact numbers. Kapil Dev is commonly remembered as India leading wicket taker in Tests before Kumble career peak. Later, Kumble surpassed Kapil Dev to become India top Test wicket taker. Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan both enjoyed long careers but did not reach Kumble final tally. Because the question asks about the highest wicket taker by June 2014, and Kumble had already retired with the record, he must be the answer. This reasoning holds even if you only know approximate values.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Harbhajan Singh: An off spinner with more than 400 Test wickets, but still well short of Anil Kumble total, so he is not the highest wicket taker.
Kapil Dev: Once held the record for India before Kumble overtook him, but by June 2014 his position had been surpassed and he no longer held the top spot.
Zaheer Khan: A premier left arm fast bowler for India, but his Test wicket tally is lower than those of Kumble, Kapil Dev, and Harbhajan Singh, making it impossible for him to be the overall leader.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to confuse the all round record of Kapil Dev with the wicket record of Kumble. Another is to focus on more recent bowlers like Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan because they played closer to the exam taker memory, forgetting that Kumble retired with a very high tally. To avoid such mistakes, remember one clear fact: Anil Kumble is the highest Test wicket taker for India and is part of the small group of bowlers worldwide with more than 600 Test wickets. Keeping this fact in mind allows you to answer similar questions quickly and accurately.

Final Answer:
By June 2014, the highest wicket taker for India in Test cricket was Anil Kumble, so option B is correct.