Test cricket is the purest form of the game. From the invention of the game, test cricket has produced many legends and greats them. From Don Bradman to Sachin Tendulkar, Ambrose to Syen people have seen some greats of the game over the years. However, under the shadow of other flamboyant greats, few went unnoticed. As the World Test Championship Final is only one month away, we present you with the list of the 10 most underrated test cricketers of all time.

All about World Test Championship Final

The World Test Championship Final is going to begin from 18th June to 22nd June 2021. The two teams to participate in the WTC Final is India and New Zealand. The top ranker of the table was New Zealand after the league round of the World Test Championship. India confirmed their place in the Final after they won the home series against England.

India squad- Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (Captain), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Md. Siraj, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, KL Rahul (subject to fitness clearance), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper; subject to fitness clearance).

New Zealand squad- Kane Williamson (c), Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Tom Blundell, Ross Taylor, BJ Watling (wk), Tom Latham, Daryll Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Colin de Grandhomme, Neil Wagner, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Mitchell Santner, Ajaz Patel, Doug Bracewell, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Kyle Jamieson, Will Young.

Read Also: WTC Final: IND vs NZ All Players Stats, Records In England, WTC and against each other

10 most underrated test cricketers of all time

Since the beginning of cricket history, we have witnessed many cricketers who are good in their game but got overshadowed by other eminent cricketers. There is a saying that nobody remembers the second person who landed on the moon. Similarly, no one remembers those cricketers who did not show their greatest performances in most of the matches. There are so many underrated test cricketers who could have glorified more but got suppressed due to the extraordinary performances of their colleagues. Here is a list of the 10 most underrated test cricketers of all time who did not receive enough accolades that they truly deserved.

1. Younis Khan

Younis Khan, one of the most underrated test cricketers was a crucial part of the Pakistan cricket team. The two best years of his test cricket career were 2006 and 2014 where he made many well-known records. Some of his best knocks are 127 vs England (2012), 218 vs England (2016), and 267 & 84 vs India (2005). Even after his immense contribution to the team and a test average of 52, he is underrated.

Read also: WTC Final: IND Vs NZ All Players Stats, Records In England, WTC And Against Each Other

2. Chaminda Vaas

Chaminda Vaas, the former bowler of Sri Lanka, made his test in 1994 and since then he has played efficiently and became one of the best fast bowlers of Sri Lanka within a year. In the test match against West Indies in 2001-2002, he took a total of 14 wickets in the third test. In the test match he back 26 wickets against West Indies. He was also selected in the World Test XI by ICC in 2004 and 2005 for his exceptional bowling performances.

3. Irfan Pathan

Indian all-rounder former cricketer, Irfan Pathan was not acknowledged and appreciated enough for his talent, expertise, and caliber. He was a right-arm medium bowler who played 29 test matches and bagged 100 wickets.
He is also the second Indian to take three wickets in the first over of a test match against Pakistan on 29 January 2006.

4. Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke, the former skipper of Australia, had a dreamy cricket career. He played so many important knocks for his team but still got overshadowed because of the extraordinary batting lineup of Australia. Not only in batting, but he has also shown impeccable performance being the captain of the team. He played 115 test matches and schooled 8643 runs. In these test matches, he hit 27 half-centuries and 28 centuries with a batting average of 49.10.

5. Rangana Herath

Rangana Herath, the left-arm bowler of Sri-Lanka, has played exceptionally in his cricket career. Yet he did not get the recognition and accolades that he truly deserves. He is an absolute legend but has been considered as one very rarely. He played in 93 test matches where he successfully took 433 wickets which is an appreciated number. The legend has also made the record of the most number of wickets by a left-arm spinner in a test match.

6. Graeme Smith

Graeme Smith, the former South African cricketer is considered to be one of the best captains in test cricket with 53 wins. He became the captain of South Africa age of 22 only. He has made the world record of captaining the team in the most number of Test matches. Graeme played in 11 7 matches and scored 9265 runs within a batting average of 48.25. He has also scored 38 half-centuries and 27 centuries in 117 matches. He is also the record holder of the most number of catches by a non-wicketkeeper. The former captain is the fastest South African cricketer to reach 1000 runs in test cricket.

7. Ajit Agarkar

Ajit Agarkar, the former Indian bowler has been a part of 26 test matches. He is an unsung hero of the Indian team taken the Indian team out of difficulties many times. In the 26 matches, he took 58 wickets. One of the most spectacular performances by him is his 6-wicket haul in the second innings of the Adelaide Test in 2003.

8. Shivnarayan Chanderpaul

The former captain of the West Indies cricket team is considered to be one of the greatest batsmen during his time. Though he has proven his caliber by his stats and records, his teammates still overshadowed him at times. He has been a part of 164 test matches where he scored 11867 runs which is only 46 runs less than that of Brian Lara. This understated cricketer left behind legends like Gordon Greenidge, Vivian Richards, and Garfield Sobers.

9. Bj Watling

The former New Zealand international cricketer is considered to be one of the most underrated cricketers of all time despite his immense contribution to his team. He not only played for himself but also supported his teammates at tough times. The South African-born cricketer has supported players like Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson during their triple centuries. He has played 55 test matches and scored 3773 with an average of 38.11. Walting has also scored 19 half-centuries and 8 centuries in test cricket. He is also the ninth wicketkeeper with the most number of dismissals, 257.

10. Makhaya Ntini

Makhaya Ntini, the former South African fast bowler, is one of the best bowlers of his time. One of his most remarkable performances is when he 13 wickets and gave only 132 runs against West Indies in 2005. With this match, he has created the record of the second most number of wickets by a South African cricketer in a test match. He has played 101 matches in his Test career and bagged 390 wickets which is unknown to a lot of people. Due to his exceptional bowling, he has always been a pivotal part of the team but never got the deserved recognition and appreciation.

Cricket's boundary lines have long been a stage for spectacular, often debated, fielding scenes. We have witnessed catches changing the course of a game entirely which also sparked controversies.

However, a significant shift is now underway as the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) decided to put an end to the "Bunny Hop" boundary line catches. Fans will no longer witness fielders performing multiple aerial contacts outside the boundary line to secure a wicket.

Moments like Michael Neser's controversial BBL grab and much-debated relay efforts like Tom Baton with Matt Renshaw in 2020 are now explicitly illegal. 

Get each and every detail about the MCC cricket rule update which marks an end of the "Bunny Hop" boundary line catch below:

Understanding the New Rule: A complete breakdown

The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the official lawmaker of cricket, has updated the law 19.5.2 to address aerial boundary catches, specifically targeting the "bunny hop" technique. Here's what you need to know about the new update:

• Initial airborne contact from outside: If a fielder jumps from outside the boundary to touch the ball while airborne, that's their only airborne contact allowed from that position.
• Must land inside (immediately): After the single airborne touch, the fielder must land completely inside the field of play. If any part of their body touches outside the line, it will be automatically considered a boundary.
• No multiple aerial touches from outside: This means fielders can no longer "juggle" or make repeated airborne touches to the ball while being outside the boundary line.
• Relay Catches included: The rule applies equally to relay catches. If a fielder outside the boundary parries the ball back into play for a teammate, they must also adhere to "one airborne touch then land inside" rule. If they failed to do so, it will considered a boundary even if the other teammate completes the catch.

Read Also: Safest hands: Most catches in IPL history

The MCC has changed the law to make catches like this 'bunny hop' one from Michael Neser illegal. In short:

If the fielder's first touch takes them outside the boundary, their *second* touch must take them back inside the field of play.

Basically, you're no longer allowed to… pic.twitter.com/1jaqAev0hy

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) June 14, 2025

The MCC's official statement:

The updated law will be integrated into ICC's playing conditions this month (June) and also into the MCC's laws in October 2026.

They have stated: "MCC has devised a new wording where the 'bunny hop' wholly beyond the boundary is removed, but these catches where the fielder pushes the ball up from inside the boundary, steps outside and then dives back in to catch the ball, are permitted."

"Our solution has been to limit any fielder who has gone outside the boundary to touching the ball while airborne only once, and then, having done so, to be wholly grounded within the boundary for the rest of the duration of that delivery."

"Even if the ball is parried - to another fielder or inside the field of play - if the fielder lands outside the boundary, or subsequently steps outside, then a boundary will be scored."

"For clarity, that means the fielder gets one chance, and one chance only, to touch the ball having jumped from outside the boundary. After that point, the boundary becomes a hard line - and any time they touch the ground in that delivery, whatever else happens, they must be inside."

This officially marks an end of the "Bunny Hop" boundary line catch and will be applied in the new WTC Cycle, which starts on June 17, 2025.

South Africa have broken a 27-year drought by claiming an emphatic five-wicket victory over Australia in the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord's. Here are the past winners of the last 10 ICC tournaments.

Read also: Every inaugural ICC tournament winners

1. Champions Trophy- Pakistan (2017)

The Oval, London hosted one of the biggest cricket rivalries on 18 June 2017. The match was the 2017 Champions Trophy final between India and Pakistan. Pakistan sent the Indian squad back to the pavilion in less than 31 overs and won the final by 180 runs. Fakhar Zaman won the man of the match award.

Read also: 5 Youngest Captains to lift the ICC Cricket World Cup

2. ICC World Cup- England (2019)

The night of 14th July 2019 has to be one of the most interesting and different in cricket history. Both England and New Zealand scored the same during their innings and also in the super-over. The result of the match was decided in an interesting method; the team with the superior number of boundaries was the winner. Hence, England won the tournament.

Read also: WTC Final: ICC Event winners since 2000

3. World Test Championship- New Zealand (2021)

Winning the World Test Championship has to be New Zealand's biggest victory in cricket history. Southampton hosted the final from 18 June to 23rd June 2021. Kane Williamson led the team to victory and the final test match by 8 wickets. With bowling figures of 5/31, 21 & 2/30, Kyle Jamieson was the Man of the match in the final.

Read also: T20 World Cup 2021: Man of the Series, highest wicket-taker, and highest run-getter

4. T20 World Cup- Australia (2021)

Australia once again proved its dominance and worth on the night of the 2021 T20 World Cup final. The entire Australian team contributed their best and clinched the trophy last night to beat New Zealand by 8 wickets. David Warner chose the best platform to prove himself after a humiliating IPL season. Mitchell Marsh scored an unbelievable knock of 77* in 50 balls and won the Man of the Match award.

5. T20 World Cup - England (2022)

England won their third ICC trophy as they clinched the T20 World Cup 2022 title after beating Pakistan in the final by five wickets. Sam Curran was adjudged the player of the tournament for his 13 wickets in the tournament. Curran was also the player of the final as his 3/22 helped England restrict Pakistan to 137 in the first inning. This was England's second T20 World Cup title.

6. World Test Championship - Australia (2023)

India again failed to win any ICC trophy since 2013 as Pat Cummins-led Australia defeated India by 209 runs. Australia scored a massive 469 in the first inning as Steve Smith and Travis Head scored tons for the Aussies. The first-inning score proved to be too much for India as they scored only 296 in the reply and Australia put more pressure with 270 in the second inning.

Despite starts for Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, India failed to get close to the score and eventually suffered the defeat. 

With this win, Josh Hazlewood, David Warner, Pat Cummins, Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc became the only players to win all ICC Trophies. 

7. ICC World Cup - Australia (2023)

Pat Cummins and Australia's dream run continued as they won the ICC Men's World Cup for a record sixth time in 2023 defeating India, again. In one of the most visited and watched World Cup finals in Ahmedabad, Australia defeated India by six wickets.

Despite a great start with the bat, India lost captain Rohit Sharma and post that kept on losing wickets. They could only score 240 in the first inning and though Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami tried their level best, Travis Head's excellent ton (137) took Australia over the line. Head was player of the match in back-to-back ICC Finals. 

Read Also: India's Finals at ICC Men's Tournaments Since 2013 

8. T20 World Cup - India (2024)

India finally broke their jinx of ICC finals after beating South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final in Barbados. They clinched their second T20 World Cup title as Rohit Sharma's men defeated the Proteas team by seven runs in the final.

Read Also: Every Player of the Tournament winners in T20 World Cup History

Virat Kohli (76) and Axar Patel (47) played some solid knocks to take India to the highest total (176) in a T20 World Cup final. Though South Africa were cruising for an easy win, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Arhsdeep Singh managed to pull things back for India with the ball. Virat Kohli was adjudged the player of the final and Jasprit Bumrah was named the Player of the tournament for his 15 wickets in the tournament. 

9. Champions Trophy - India (2025)

India made it back-to-back global cricket tournaments with a four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy final in Dubai.

Chasing 252 against the Blackcaps, India reached home in 49 overs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The spinners put up a splendid show, helping India restrict the Blakcaps for 251 for 7 after the side latter team won the toss and opted to bat first. 

Kuldeep Yadav (2 for 40) and Varun Chakravarthy (2 for 45) picked two wickets apiece while Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami scalped one wicket each. Daryl Mitchell (63) and Michael Bracewell (53) played crucial knocks for the Blackcaps. 

In the chase, India got off to a flying start, thanks to Rohit Sharma's dominating 76. Shreyas Iyer (48) and KL Rahul (34 not out) also played crucial knocks as India edged past New Zealand to win the Champions Trophy for the third time.

This was India’s second consecutive ICC title win - it had won the T20 World Cup crown in June last year. India has now won two ODI World Cups, two T20 World Cups and three Champions Trophy titles.

10. World Test Championship- South Africa (2025)

South Africa have broken a 27-year drought by claiming an emphatic five-wicket victory over Australia in the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord's. The Proteas made reasonably light work of the 69 runs they needed to win the mace on the fourth morning in London, with Kyle Verreynne hitting the winning shot to deliver South Africa their first men's senior ICC trophy since 1998.

In the match, South Africa opted to bowl first and put on a clinical show to bundle out Australia for just 212 in the first innings, thanks to Kagiso Rabada’s brilliant 5 for 51 spell. In reply, Australia packed up the entire South African first innings for just 138, thanks to skipper Pat Cummins’s spell of 6 for 28.

South Africa continued to fight back with the ball, reducing Australia to 73 for 7 at one point in the second innings. However, Mitchell Starc (58* not out) and Alex Carey (43) led a lower-order resistance, taking the final score to 207 and setting South Africa a challenging target of 282 to win the match.

In reply, South Africa lost two quick wickets. But then Aiden Markram (136 not out) and skipper Temba Bavuma (66 not out) played historic innings and stitched together a match-winning partnership to help the Proteas record the joint second-highest successful fourth-innings chase at Lord’s. They went on to win the match and lift the ICC WTC 2025 mace.

Note: The article was first written by Shreya Ghosh and then got updated by Koushik Biswas.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) conducts different cricket events and tournaments throughout the year. ICC tournaments are the biggest platforms in the game of cricket, where the top teams contest against each other for championship podiums.

Contributing to the team on a big stage like this will always be remembered for a long time. The ODI World Cup is conducted once every four years, whereas the Men's T20 World Cup is played every two years. The ICC Champions Trophy is where only the top 8 teams compete in each finals tournament.

Last but not least, the World Test Championship is played over two years. This article thoroughly talks about the men's cricketing teams that have won ICC trophies at some point in time. Let's take a look at the teams with the most ICC Trophies.

Read Also: Rohit Sharma in ICC knockout games

Australia | 10

Australia's sheer dominance over other cricketing teams is nothing new. For decades, Australia has been executing out-of-ordinary performances and winning trophies for the country. Out of all the cricketing countries, Australia has the most ICC trophies.

Till now the Aussies won 10 ICC trophies. Australia is the only team to win 6 ICC World Cups. The most successful team in the Cricket World Cup clinched the trophy in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, and 2023. Interestingly Australia made a record of being the only team to win the trophy in all the countries that hosted the World Cup.

Australia won the ICC Champions Trophy twice in 2006 and 2009 against West Indies and New Zealand respectively. Lastly, Australia lifted their first-ever ICC T20 World Cup trophy after defeating New Zealand in the 2021 T20 World Cup. They claimed the ICC World Test Championship after defeating India at the Oval by a huge margin of 209 runs.

Read also: Top 8 Wicket-takers of T20 World Cup 2021

India | 7

India sits in the second position on this prestigious list of most ICC Trophies by any team. India won their first-ever ICC World Cup in 1983 under the captaincy of Kapil Dev. Later again 28 years, the men in blue won the World Cup for the second time under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni in 2011.

The Indian men's cricket team also reached the semifinals four times in 1987, 1996, 2015, and 2019. Meantime, they lost in two finals in 2003 and 2023.

The men in blue won the Champions Trophy thrice. First, in 2002, both the finalists India and Sri Lanka were declared the co-champions of the 2002 Champions Trophy. In the 2013 edition, India defeated England by 5 runs and won the Champions Trophy for the second time in Birmingham. Their latest triumph came via Champions Trophy 2025, as they defeated New Zealand by four wickets in Dubai in the final.

Lastly, India won the inaugural edition of the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007 after defeating Pakistan in Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg. In the 2024 T20 World Cup, India defeated  South Africa by 7 runs to lift the trophy for the second time.

Read also: India's performance in every ICC tournament

West Indies | 5

Read also: T20 World Cup 2021: Man of the Series, highest wicket-taker, and highest run-getter

Next on this list is West Indies with a total of 5 ICC trophies. The first-ever ICC World Cup final was won by West Indies in 1975. West Indies once again continued their reign in the next edition of the World Cup as well, in 1979. The Caribbean team also won the Champions Trophy in 2004. Lastly, West Indies became the winner of the ICC T20 World Cup twice; once against Sri Lanka in 2012 and the other time against England in 2016.

England | 3

Till 2010, the England team has not had any ICC Tournament. But, it was in 2010, when they won their first ICC T20 World Cup against arch-rival Australia. Craig Kieswetter guided them home in the final for their first-ever ICC Trophy. Post that, they have been a phenomenal white-ball team and won two ICC World Cups since then.

In 2019, they won their first ICC Men's ODI World Cup as Ben Stokes made all the difference in the final against England in a match where boundary count helped England to win the World Cup.

England's latest ICC Trophy triumph came under Jos Buttler as they became the first-ever team in Cricket history to hold the ODI and T20 World Cup at the same time. Jos Buttler and company won the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 as Sam Curran won the player of the tournament after taking 13 wickets with the ball. Curran also was the player of the match in the final as well.

Pakistan | 3

Pakistan sits in the fourth position on the list of most ICC Trophy wins by any team with 3 ICC trophies. The first-ever ICC trophy won by Pakistan was during the 1992 cricket World Cup. Pakistan defeated England in the final and won by 22 runs.

The next ICC trophy won by Pakistan was in the 2009 T20 World Cup where they beat Sri Lanka in the final and won the title by 8 wickets. The most recent and last ICC win of Pakistan is the 2017 Champions Trophy where they defeated India by 180 runs.

Read also: "No one is more disappointed than me": Hasan Ali after T20 World Cup 2021 exit

Sri Lanka | 3

Read also: ICC Hall of fame: Shaun Pollock, Mahela Jayawardene and Janette Britti get inducted

With 3 ICC trophies, Sri Lanka sits in 5th position on this list. Sri Lanka won their first-ever ICC World Cup in 1996 where they played against Australia in the final hosted in Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. They went ahead to win their next ICC trophy in the 2002 Champions Trophy. The winner of the tournament is actually both India and Sri Lanka as both the finalist teams were declared as co-champions.

The last time Sri Lanka won an ICC Trophy was when they defeated India in the 2014 T20 World Cup hosted in Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium Dhaka.

New Zealand | 2

The New Zealand cricket team has won a total of 2 ICC trophies since they started competing in tournaments conducted by ICC. The Kiwis won their first-ever ICC Trophy in the 2000 Champions Trophy. Nairobi hosted the final of New Zealand vs India where New Zealand won the match by 4 wickets.

The next ICC Trophy won by the Kiwis was the ICC World Test Championship. Once again, New Zealand played against India in the final of an ICC event and clinched the trophy in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship final.

Read also: Winners list of last 10 ICC Tournaments

South Africa | 2

South Africa have broken the jinx and finally won an ICC trophy after 27 years, only their second ICC title after beating Australia by five wickets at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground to become World Test champions. Chasing 282 runs to win, Aiden Markram registered his eighth Test century and played one of the most important knocks of his career with 136 runs to guide the Proteas to a historic win.

Meanwhile, in the 1998 ICC Champions Trophy hosted in Bangladesh, South Africa beat West Indies in the final to win their first ICC title. Jacques Kallis was exceptional and contributed the most to the team reaching and winning the final and was awarded the player of the tournament. He hit a century and picked up a five-wicket haul as well.

Note: The stats include shared trophies. The article was first written by Shreya Ghosh and then got edited by Abishek Goswami.

In the high-stakes match of WTC final, every run saved and every wicket taken matters. This article will provide you with some extraordinary spells of bowlers around the world that made a big impact for their respective teams.

These figures define the epitome of world-class bowling performances in WTC finals. Get ready to dive into the best figures in ICC WTC Final.

1. Pat Cummins (6/28) vs SA, Lord's, 2025

The Australian Captain, Pat Cummins dismantled South Africa's batting line-up in their first innings of WTC 2025 Final, taking 6 wickets for just 28 runs. After getting bowled out for 212 while batting first, his spell restricted SA to only 138, providing them a 74-run lead.

His exceptional spell included dismissals of batters like Temba Bavuma, David Bendingham, and others. He also became the Australian captain with most 5-wicket hauls in Tests, and holds the 2nd place overall.

This performance bounds us to ask: Is Pat Cummins the greatest test bowling captain of this generation?

Read Also: Most 5-wicket hauls by a captain in Tests

2. Kyle Jamieson (5/31) vs IND, Southampton, 2021

The tall New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson was phenomenal in their inaugural WTC win against India in 2021. He exploited the English conditions perfectly and took 5 wickets for 31 runs, which included the dismissal of India's test legend, Virat Kohli.

Jamieson was also awarded Player of the Match in the final, which explains how crucial his performance was for their victory.

3. Kagiso Rabada (5/51) vs AUS, Lord's, 2025

The WTC 2025 Final saw another bowling brilliance from South African pacer Kagiso Rabada this time, who stands at the 3rd place with his 5 wickets for 51 runs against Australia.

Rabada marked his comeback for SA with vital dismissals of Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green in quick succession with his fiery deliveries.

4. Nathan Lyon (4/41) vs IND, The Oval, 2023

Australia's veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon played a crucial role in the second innings of the WTC 2023 Final. He used the assistance of the pitch and cleaned up India's lower order, including the decisive final wicket that sealed the victory.

He took 4 wickets for 41 runs with an economy of 2.64.

Read Also: Rabada passes Donald: Most Test wickets for South Africa

5. Tim Southee (4/48) vs IND, Southampton, 2021

New Zealand's swing maestro Tim Southee provided crucial breakthroughs in India's second innings of the 2021 final. He took 4 wickets for 48 runs, bowling for 19 overs, and delivered what Jamieson did in the first innings for them.

Southee dismissed Shami and Bumrah to wrap up the match quickly with his effective bowling.

Australian captain Pat Cummins made history by taking a five-wicket haul in the ICC World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's. He went past India's Bishan Singh Bedi in an all-time list of captains with most five-fers in Test cricket history. Cummins ran through the South African batting unit, leading Australia's fightback after they were bundled out for 212 in the first innings.

Also Read: Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

In this article we will be discussing about the most 5-wicket hauls by a captain in Test cricket.

Most 5-wicket hauls by a captain in Tests

5. Jason Holder (West Indies) | 7 Times

Former Windies captain Jason Holder holds the fifth spot in this list. Holder picked up a 5-wicket haul seven times as a captain in Test cricket. Overall with the ball, Holder has 162 scalps at 30.27. He has eight five-wicket hauls to show besides a solitary match 10-fer. He claimed 1/39 across 17 overs in the first innings.

4. Bishan Singh Bedi (India) | 8 Times

Former Indian left-arm spinner, late Bishan Singh Bedi, is fourth on this list. Bishan Singh Bedi played 67 Tests for India and picked up 266 wickets at an average of 28.71 with 14 five-wicket hauls. When he retired, he was India's leading wicket-taker in the longest format.

He captained India in 22 Tests between 1975 and 1979, taking over from the great Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi. During his time as Test captain, Bishan Singh Bedi bagged as many as eight five-wicket hauls.

3. Richie Benaud (Australia) | 9 Times

Former Australian all-rounder, late Richie Benaud, is second on this list. The legendary cricketer was among the most influential players of his time back in the day. From 1958 to 1963, he led Australia in 28 Tests. Australia dominated under his leadership and never lost a single series.

As Test captain, Richie Benaud picked up nine five-wicket hauls and is above Pat Cummins having played fewer Tests. Benaud represented Australia in 63 Tests in his career and bagged 248 wickets at an average of 27.03 with 16 five-wicket hauls overall.

2. Pat Cummins (Australia) | 9* Times

Current Australian Test skipper Pat Cummins, who previously had eight five-wicket hauls to his name as captain in the longest format, overtook Bishan Singh Bedi to move to number three on this elite list with his five-fer against South Africa in the 2025 WTC final.

Cummins now has nine five-wicket hauls as Test captain in his career. The Australian quick has played 67 Tests and has 294 wickets at an average of 22.43 with 13 five-wicket hauls so far (67 being the ongoing 2025 WTC final). He also broke several records with his stunning performance against South Africa.

Also Read: Rabada passes Donald: Most Test wickets for South Africa

1. Imran Khan (Pakistan) | 12 Times

Former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Imran Khan tops the list of most 5-wicket hauls by a captain in Tests. From 1982-1992, Imran Khan led Pakistan in 48 Test matches. He is the only captain to take 5-wicket hauls in more than 10 times in Test cricket.

As Test captain, the former all-rounder bagged 12 five-wicket hauls, which is the most by any bowler to date. Overall, Imran Khan played 88 Tests in his international career and picked up 362 wickets at an average of 22.81 with 23 five-wicket hauls. Imran has also taken 10 or more wickets in 4 matches in his Test career, which is the most taken by any captain in this format.