Cricket! One of the most played games in the world, and scores of players love to watch this amazing sport. Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, James Anderson, and Anil Kumble are some of the best test wicket-takers. Are you a hardcore cricket freak always seeking out new things about cricket? Including top 10 batsmen, bowlers, wicketkeepers, and more? If yes, then this blog is going to be interesting for you. Here we will lighten up the top 10 test wicket-takers in the world. It will help cricket enthusiasts to know about the players who deliver the best bowls in their cricket careers.
List of top 10 test wicket-takers known for their unbelievable bowling
With the help of the below table, readers will get to know the top 10 test wicket-takers in the world known for their legacy. Now it’s time to know about the mentioned cricket player careers and more about them. If we talk about the player securing the title of best test bowler in the world, Muttiah Muralitharan. After learning the name of the best test bowler, are you excited to know more? So are you guys ready to step into an exciting journey of this blog? Let’s begin the digital journey and find out the 10 best test wicket-takers in the world.
| Player Name | Team | Total wickets in the test |
| Dale Steyn | South Africa | 439 |
| Courtney Walsh | West Indies | 519 |
| Nathan Lyon | Australia | 530 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | India | 531 |
| Glenn McGrath | Australia | 563 |
| Stuart Broad | England | 604 |
| Anil Kumble | India | 619 |
| James Anderson | England | 701 |
| Shane Warne | Australia | 708 |
| Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 800 |
Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka holds the record for most wickets in test cricket.
Bowlers are the balancing act in cricket for the batters. While not as appreciated as the players with the willow, the bowlers have always been the stars for their teams, as they are the ones to win the matches by bowling out the opposition.
Test cricket is the epitome of a bowler’s test, where they can bowl unlimited overs, which tests their abilities, stamina, and skills to cope with pressure. There are instances in cricket where bowlers have proven their worth by winning matches single-handedly. The game has seen some great bowlers since its start.
Dale Steyn (439)
One of the most famous wicket-takers of all time, the South African made his debut in test cricket against England in 2004. The iconic African bowler is probably the best of the past 10 years.
Dale played test cricket for 15 years (2004–2019), taking 439 wickets in 93 games. He bowled with all of his might until the conclusion of his career. Dale has been the only bowler to claim five wickets against every test-playing country.
For six years in a row (2008–2014), he maintained the top spot in the test bowler rankings and is the most wicket-taker for South Africa.
Courtney Walsh (519)
West Indies bowler Courtney Walsh is among the top 10 test wicket-takers in the world. He is the one who first attains the 500-wicket milestone. After playing his first test match against Australia in 1984, Walsh finished his career with 519 wickets in 132 games, the most in the West Indies’ history. Walsh captained the West Indies cricket team with some success and forged one of the most formidable opening bowling partnerships with Curtly Ambrose.
Nathan Lyon (530)
Another one of the best test wicket takers is holding 8th place in this list with 530 wickets. In 2011, Nathan Lyon played his first test match for Australia against Sri Lanka. He took a wicket with his first delivery. Lyon is presently regarded as the best off-spinner to have ever represented Australia.
Ravichandran Ashwin (531)
A well-known and classified spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin is one of the greatest wicket-takers in test cricket. With 531 wickets in 104 matches, he is holding seventh position. He made his test debut against the West Indies in 2011 and has since become one of the world’s top wicket-takers, but his greatest contribution to India has been as an off-spinner.
Glenn McGrath (563)
Glenn McGrath, regarded as one of the best fast bowlers of all time, played 14 years of test cricket from 1993 to 2007 and took 563 wickets over his 124-match career. McGrath’s 2001 victory against the West Indies made him one of the few bowlers to take a test hat-trick. He is still Australia’s top wicket-taking bowler in tests.
Stuart Broad (604)
In the Ashes 2023 series, England’s cricket player became the second fast bowler in history to take 600 test wickets. He was added to the list alongside opening partner and neighboring citizen James Anderson.
After making his England test debut in 2007, Broad became one of the country’s best pacers ever. The Manchester native has played 166 games for England and claimed 604 wickets, including 20 fifers.
Anil Kumble (619)
Indian cricketer Anil Kumble is known for his impressive bowling. With 619 wickets, he is holding third place in the list of top 10 Test wicket takers in 2024. Kumble played his final match for India against Australia in 2008 after making his test debut against England in 1990.
In the longest format of the game, he has claimed 35 five-wicket hauls. He became known for his historic 10/74 haul, which made him just the second bowler after Jim Laker to claim all 10 wickets in a test inning. In the 1999 Delhi test against Pakistan, he accomplished the feat.
James Anderson (701)
In July 2024, James Anderson announced his retirement from test cricket. Anderson played 188 matches for England after making his test debut in 2003. In terms of the number of test appearances, Anderson’s 188 puts him only behind Sachin Tendulkar’s 200.
Shane Warne (708)
The late great Shane Warne started his career with 708 wickets, making him the first bowler to take 700 in tests. Warne became the world’s top leg spinner after making his test debut against India in 1992.
Warren took 37 five-wicket hauls in 145 test matches. including a hat-trick against England in 1994. Regretfully, this prodigy passed away in 2022 at the age of 52.
Muttiah Muralitharan (800)
There is no bowler in the game right now who can match Muttiah Muralitharan’s record of 800 wickets. He will probably continue to hold the record for a very long time. In 1992, he played his first test match for Sri Lanka against Australia.
With one of the most fascinating and debatable bowling motions, Murali played for eighteen years, taking 800 wickets in 133 matches, including a record 67 five-wicket hauls. He is also the first bowler in Test history to have taken two nine-wicket hauls.