Bowlers are one of the most important parts of cricket, and the game would not be the same without them. When it comes to Test cricket, it’s like a dream worth a billion dollars.
So, here are the 7 people who have taken the most wickets in Test Cricket history.
Muttiah Muralitharan
In 1992, Muttiah Muralitharan played his first test match for Sri Lanka. It was against Australia. He bowled differently than any other spin bowler in the world. Muralitharan has played in 18 test matches (1992-2010). He played his last game against India at Galle. In his final game, he took 8 wickets.
Muralitharan has taken more wickets than anyone else in Test cricket history. In 133 test games, he has taken 800 wickets, including 67 five-fors. Yes, you heard that right. He has 67 five-wicket hauls, which is more than any other bowler in test cricket history. Almost every batsman in the world couldn’t beat him.
Shane Warne
Shane Warne probably has the best leg-spin of anyone in the world. His stats show how all the batsmen in the world had trouble with his changes. Even worse, he had moved the ball from the third leg stump to the off stump. He was the only person in the world who could make the ball talk anywhere. Shane Warne’s first test was against India in 1992.
In his first game, he only caught one ball. But no one knew that this man could finish his career with more than 700 wickets. Warne’s last test was in 2007 against England. In his last test match, he took two wickets. The number Warne has in test cricket is mind-blowing. In 145 test matches, he has taken 708 wickets, including 37 5-for. Shane Warne has taken the second-most wickets in test cricket, and he has held that record for 13 years.
James Anderson
James Anderson, an English fast bowler, has taken the third-most wickets in the history of test cricket. In 2003, against Zimbabwe, James Anderson played his first test match. People know him for how well he can hit the ball.
He is known as “Swing King” because he can swing the ball in both directions and make batsmen dance at a good speed (135 km/h). So far, he has taken 651 wickets in 171 matches, including 31 five-wicket hauls. He is the only fast bowler to have taken 600 wickets in a test match. Anderson is 39 years old and will likely keep playing for a few more years.
Anil Kumble
With 619 wickets in 132 games, Anil Kumble ranks fourth all-time in test cricket wicket-taking and is the leading wicket-taker for India. He has 35 five-wicket hauls in the game’s longest format. In 1990, Kumble took on England in his first Test match.
He has 18 years of experience playing test cricket for India. He participated in his final game against Australia in 2008. Kumble’s 10/74 against Pakistan in Delhi in 1999 was the best bowling figure for a bowler in the Test innings.
Glen McGrath
The Australian icon has 14 years of test cricket experience (1993-2007). In 1993, Glenn faced New Zealand in his first test match. The Australian fast bowlers with the most wickets are led by Mcgrath. For his line, length, and swing, Mcgrath is renowned. In every location he has played, he has taken wickets. McGrath has taken 563 wickets in 124 test matches, surpassing the five-wicket threshold 29 times. Among the top 10 highest wicket-takers, he has the highest bowling average (21.6).
Stuart Broad
The English pacemen faced Sri Lanka in his first test match in 2007. The Nottingham-born cricketer has so far played 154 times for England and claimed 546 wickets, including 18 fifers. He is the seventh-highest wicket-taker in test cricket, and his finest performance was an 8 for 15 total in the 2015 Ashes match against Australia.
Dale Steyn
The only bowler from South Africa on this list is Dale Steyn. He has the eighth-best record for taking wickets. The legend from Africa is probably this decade’s best fast bowler. He has played in 15 Tests and taken 439 wickets in 93 of them (2004-2019). He got hurt a lot when he played cricket. But until the end of his Test career, he bowled with everything he had. He is the only bowler who has ever gotten five wickets against all test-playing countries. He has taken the most wickets for South Africa in Test cricket, and for the past six years, he has been ranked number one in Test cricket (2008-2014).
