List of bowlers who have taken 300 or more wickets in Test cricket

Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan has taken the highest number of wickets in Test cricket.[1]

Taking 300 or more wickets across a playing career is considered a significant achievement in Test cricket.[2][3][4] First accomplished in 1964 by Englishman Fred Trueman,[5] as of March 2024 the feat has been achieved by only 37 cricketers in the history of the game. Seven players from Australia and six players from India, five each from England and South Africa, four from New Zealand and the West Indies, and three each from Pakistan and Sri Lanka have crossed the 300-wicket mark in Tests. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ireland and Zimbabwe are yet to see a player reach the 300 mark.[6]

As of March 2024, former Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan has the highest aggregate with 800 wickets.[6] He also holds the record for the most five-wicket hauls (67) and ten-wicket hauls in a match (22); his 16 wickets for 220 runs against England in 1998 is the fifth-best bowling performance by a player in a match.[7][8][9] Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is the fastest to cross the 300-wicket mark (in 54 Tests),[10] while the late West Indian player Malcolm Marshall has the best bowling average (20.94) among those who have achieved the milestone.[11] Fellow West Indian Lance Gibbs is the most economical player with 1.98 runs per over, while South African fast bowler Dale Steyn has the best strike rate of 42.3 balls per wicket.[6] India's Anil Kumble has the second-best bowling figures in an innings (10 wickets for 74 runs against Pakistan in 1999); they are the second-best in the history of Test cricket after English off-spin bowler Jim Laker's 10 for 53 (against Australia in 1956).[12]

In 1990, Richard Hadlee became the first bowler to take 400 Test wickets,[13] whilst in 2001, Courtney Walsh was the first to reach 500 wicket mark.[14] Shane Warne was the first to take both 600 and 700 Test wickets, in 2005 and 2006 respectively.[15][16] Warne's haul of 96 wickets in 2005 is the highest total in a calendar year, ahead of the 90 wickets taken the following year by Muralidaran, although he played fewer innings.[17]

  1. ^ "Player Profile: Muttiah Muralitharan". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  2. ^ Alter, Jamie (26 August 2009). "Vettori joins 300-wicket club". ESPNCricinfo. Archived from the original on 14 November 2013. Retrieved 8 October 2018. To claim 300 Test wickets is an achievement for any bowler ...
  3. ^ "Steyn captures 300th Test wicket". Geo TV. Agence France-Presse (AFP). 2 January 2013. Archived from the original on 14 November 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2018. 'It's an unbelievable achievement,' said South African captain Graeme Smith ...
  4. ^ Botham, Ian (18 May 2013). "Ian Botham on Jimmy Anhderson: Congrats on taking your 300th Test wicket – now come and catch me!". Daily Mirror. London. Archived from the original on 19 December 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2018. Congratulations to Jimmy Anderson on yet another magnificent achievement ...
  5. ^ "Player Profile: Fred Trueman". ESPNCricinfo. Archived from the original on 7 February 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  6. ^ a b c "Records / Test matches / Bowling records / Most wickets in career". ESPN cricinfo. Archived from the original on 11 September 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  7. ^ "Records / Test matches / Bowling records / Best figures in a match". ESPNCricinfo. Archived from the original on 18 May 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  8. ^ "Records / Test matches / Bowling records / Most five-wickets-in-an-innings in a career". ESPNCricinfo. Archived from the original on 20 November 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  9. ^ "Records / Test matches / Bowling records / Most ten-wickets-in-a-match in a career". ESPNCricinfo. Archived from the original on 14 October 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  10. ^ Vishwanathan, Siddharth (27 November 2017). "Ravichandran Ashwin emulates Dennis Lillee, becomes fastest to 300 wickets". Hindustan Times. Delhi: HT Media. Archived from the original on 27 November 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Record / Test matches / Bowling record / Fastest to 300 wickets". ESPNCricinfo. Archived from the original on 29 January 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  12. ^ "Records / Test matches / Bowling records / Best figures in an innings". ESPNCricinfo. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  13. ^ Blake, Martin (6 February 1990). "Hadlee Defies Convention to Record the Perfect 400". The Age. No. 42024. Melbourne. p. 46 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Hancock, Matthew (21 March 2001). "500: Courting Greatness". Sydney Morning Herald. No. 51030. p. 42 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Brenkley, Stephen (14 August 2005). "Warne the Busiest As Well As the Best". Sportsweek. The Independent on Sunday. No. 808. London. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Fraser, Angus (27 December 2006). "Warne's Triumphant Milestone". The Independent. No. 6301. London. p. 46 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Cricket Records for Test Matches – Most wickets in a calendar year". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 24 March 2024.