Test cricket is the traditional playing format of this beloved sport and continues to attract fans even today. A typical test match consists of two innings for each team and lasts up to five days. Test matches are slower and uneventful for most fans, especially younger ones. However, this is how it was originally played and retains the classic “gentleman’s game” rules.
The nature of Test games is very different from that of One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20. It is played with the red ball and prioritizes high-level play over pure entertainment. You will never see slip in T20 games, but it is a necessity in Test matches as wickets are the main focus of the bowling side.
Pitch placement and pitches also favor the bowlers, and we see hauls of 8, 9 and ten wickets in a single innings. Today we cover the list of players with most wickets in Test cricket. Muthiah Muralidaran, Shane Warne and James Anderson are the first three wicket-takers in Test cricket.
Related:
ICC Cricket World Cup 2023
ICC WTC 2023 Final
Most wickets in Test cricket
#1 Muthiah Muralidaran
Muthiah Muralidaran is a name that used to strike fear into the hearts of batsmen in the past. The Sri Lankan player is the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. Muralidaran has amassed 800 wickets over two decades of play and 230 innings. His best figures of 9/51 are the second best in the test, and he has a net average of 22.72 and an economy of 2.47. Muralidaran is also the leading wicket-taker in ODIs.
#2 Shane Warne
Australia’s Shane Warne is considered the greatest cricketer of all time and is often compared to the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Don Bradman. He played right leg spin and revolutionized the bowling style during his career. Warne also bowled the Ball of the Century in 1993. He is the second most successful wicket-taker in Test cricket, but is often considered the best bowler in all formats of cricket.
#3James Anderson
Englishman James Anderson is a veteran bowler and a master of swing. He is considered one of the best cricketers. Anderson has amassed 686 wickets in 335 innings. He has been playing since 2003 and is ranked as the top Test bowler as of 2023. He is the only fast bowler to take 600 wickets or more and has played the second highest number of Test matches after Sachin Tendulkar.
Highest wicket-taker in Test cricket |
|||||||
|
Range |
Player |
windows |
Match |
Entrance |
Figure of best entries |
Best Match Figure |
Span |
|
1 |
Muthiah Muralidaran (SL) |
800 |
133 |
230 |
9/51 |
16/220 |
1992-2010 |
|
2 |
Shane Warne (AUS) |
708 |
145 |
273 |
8/71 |
12/128 |
1992-2007 |
|
3 |
James Anderson (ESP) |
686 |
180* |
335 |
7/42 |
11/71 |
2003-2023 |
|
4 |
Anil Kumble (IND) |
619 |
132 |
236 |
10/74 |
14/149 |
1990-2008 |
|
5 |
Stuart Broad |
587 |
163* |
301 |
8/15 |
11/121 |
2007-2023 |
|
6 |
Glenn McGrath (AUS) |
563 |
124 |
243 |
8/24 |
10/27 |
1993-2007 |
|
7 |
Courtney Walsh (WI) |
519 |
132 |
242 |
7/37 |
13/55 |
1984-2001 |
|
8 |
Nathan Lyon (Australia) |
495 |
121* |
227 |
8/50 |
13/154 |
2011-2023 |
|
9 |
Ravichandran Ashwin (IND) |
474 |
92 |
174 |
7/59 |
13/140 |
2011-2023 |
|
10 |
Dale Steyn (SA) |
439 |
93 |
171 |
7/51 |
11/60 |
2004-2019 |
|
eleven |
Kapil Dev (IND) |
434 |
131 |
227 |
9/83 |
11/146 |
1978-1994 |
|
12 |
Rangana Herath (SL) |
433 |
93 |
170 |
9/127 |
14/184 |
1999-2018 |
|
13 |
Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) |
431 |
86 |
150 |
9/52 |
15/123 |
1973-1990 |
|
14 |
Shaun Pollock (SA) |
421 |
108 |
202 |
7/87 |
10/147 |
1995-2008 |
|
fifteen |
Harbhajan Singh (IND) |
417 |
103 |
190 |
8/84 |
15/217 |
1998-2015 |
|
sixteen |
Wasim Akram (PAK) |
414 |
104 |
181 |
7/119 |
11/110 |
1985-2002 |
|
17 |
Shortly Ambrose (WI) |
405 |
98 |
179 |
8/45 |
11/84 |
1988-2000 |
|
18 |
Makhaya Ntini (SA) |
390 |
101 |
190 |
7/37 |
13/132 |
1998-2009 |
|
19 |
Ian Botham (ESP) |
383 |
102 |
168 |
8/34 |
13/106 |
1977-1992 |
|
twenty |
Malcolm Marshall (WI) |
376 |
81 |
151 |
7/22 |
11/89 |
1978-1991 |
|
twenty-one |
Waqar Younis (PAK) |
373 |
87 |
154 |
7/76 |
13/135 |
1989-2003 |
|
22 |
Tim Southee (New Zealand) |
370 |
94 |
178 |
7/64 |
10/108 |
2008-2023 |
|
23 |
Imran Khan (PAK) |
362 |
88 |
142 |
8/58 |
14/116 |
1971-1992 |
|
24 |
Daniel Vettori (New Zealand) |
362 |
113 |
187 |
7/87 |
12/149 |
1997-2014 |
|
25 |
Dennis Lillee (AUS) |
355 |
70 |
132 |
7/83 |
11/123 |
1971-1984 |
|
26 |
Chaminda Vaas (SL) |
355 |
111 |
194 |
7/71 |
14/191 |
1994-2009 |
|
27 |
Allan Donald (SA) |
330 |
72 |
129 |
8/71 |
12/139 |
1992-2002 |
|
28 |
Bob Willis (ESP) |
325 |
90 |
165 |
8/43 |
9/92 |
1971-1984 |
|
29 |
Trent Boult (New Zealand) |
317 |
78 |
149 |
6/30 |
10/80 |
2011-2022 |
|
30 |
Mitchell Johnson (Australia) |
313 |
73 |
140 |
8/61 |
12/127 |
2007-2015 |
|
31 |
Ishant Sharma (IND) |
311 |
105 |
188 |
7/74 |
10/108 |
2007-2021 |
|
32 |
Zaheer Khan (IND) |
311 |
92 |
165 |
7/87 |
10/149 |
2000-2014 |
|
33 |
Mitchell Starc (AUS) |
310 |
78 |
149 |
6/50 |
11/94 |
2011-2023 |
|
3. 4 |
Brett Lee (AU) |
310 |
76 |
150 |
5/30 |
9/171 |
1999-2008 |
|
35 |
Morne Morkel (SA) |
309 |
86 |
160 |
6/23 |
9/110 |
2006-2018 |
|
36 |
Lance Gibbs (WI) |
309 |
79 |
148 |
8/38 |
11/157 |
1958-1976 |
|
37 |
Fred Trueman (ESP) |
307 |
67 |
127 |
8/31 |
12/119 |
1952-1965 |
|
38 |
Derek Underwood (ESP) |
297 |
86 |
151 |
8/51 |
13/71 |
1966-1982 |
|
39 |
Jacques Kallis (SA) |
292 |
166 |
272 |
6/54 |
9/92 |
1995-2013 |
|
40 |
Craig McDermott (AUS) |
291 |
71 |
124 |
8/97 |
11/157 |
1984-1996 |
|
41 |
Kagiso Rabada (SA) |
280 |
60 |
108 |
7/112 |
13/144 |
2015-2023 |
|
42 |
Ravindra Jadeja (IND) |
268 |
Sixty-five |
124 |
7/42 |
10/110 |
2012-2023 |
|
43 |
Bishan Bedi (IND) |
266 |
67 |
118 |
7/98 |
10/194 |
1966-1979 |
|
44 |
Kemar Roach (WI) |
261 |
77 |
140 |
6/48 |
10/146 |
2009-2023 |
|
Four. Five |
Danish Kaneria (PAK) |
261 |
61 |
112 |
7/77 |
12/94 |
2000-2010 |
|
46 |
Joel Garner (WI) |
259 |
58 |
111 |
6/56 |
9/108 |
1977-1987 |
|
47 |
Jason Gillespie (AUS) |
259 |
71 |
137 |
7/37 |
9/80 |
1996-2006 |
|
48 |
Neil Wagner (New Zealand) |
258 |
63 |
120 |
7/39 |
9/73 |
2012-2023 |
|
49 |
Graeme Swann (ESP) |
255 |
60 |
109 |
6/65 |
10/132 |
2008-2013 |
|
fifty |
Brian Statham |
252 |
70 |
129 |
7/39 |
11/97 |
1951-1965 |
Categories: Optical Illusion
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