Fastest to 500 Test Wickets

Test cricket, often regarded as the purest form of the game, has seen many remarkable bowlers who have left an indelible mark on the sport's history. Among their achievements, reaching the milestone of 500 wickets stands as a testament to their skill, consistency, and longevity. Let's delve into the elite group of bowlers who have reached fastest to 500 Test wickets.

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Fastest to 500 Test Wickets | Top 9 List

1. Muttiah Muralitharan | 144 Innings

The Sri Lankan spin wizard, Muttiah Muralitharan stands tall at the summit of the fastest to 500 Test wickets. Renowned for his mesmerizing spin and unorthodox action, the former Sri Lankan off-spinner achieved this feat in just 144 innings, setting an unparalleled benchmark in the history of the sport. This will be extremely difficult to cross for any bowler in the world.

Murali's 500th Test dismissal came against Australia in Kandy in 2004. He made his Test debut against the same opposition at RPS Colombo in 1992. Murali is also the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket with 800 wickets in 133 games.

2. Ravichandran Ashwin | 184 Innings

On February 16, 2024, Ravichandran Ashwin became the second fastest to 500 Test wickets. He beat Anil Kumble to become quickest Indian to reach this milestone. Ashwin dismissed Zak Crawley as his 500th scalp in third of the five-match test series between India and England in Rajkot. Ashwin became second Indian bowler to pick 500 wickets in this format of the game. Ashwin took only 184 innings to complete 500 wickets in Test cricket, which is overall second fastest by any bowler and fastest by an Indian bowler.

3. Anil Kumble | 188 Innings

India's legendary leg-spinner, Anil Kumble, possessed a plethora of variations and an astute cricketing brain. Kumble reached the milestone of 500 Test wickets in 188 innings, underlining his significance in India's bowling arsenal. He is still the leading wicket-taker for India in Test cricket with 619 scalps to his name. Kumble became third spinner and overall fifth bowler in 2006 to pick 500 wickets in Test cricket.

Anil Kumble's 500th Test scalp came against England in 105th match of his career in Mohali. Kumble made his Test debut against England at the Old Trafford in 1990 and went on to play 132 matches for India till 2008. He was one of the greatest match-winners for India in the longest format of the game.

4. Shane Warne | 201 Innings

Shane Warne, the Australian leg-spin maestro, is another legend of the cricket who reached fastest to 500 Test wickets. It took Warne 201 Test innings to achieve this feat. Depite playing more of his games on hard and bouncy Australian pitches, Warne picked up wickets at ease with his magical leg-spin.

Shane Warne picked up his 500th test wicket in his 108th game against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2004. Warne went on to finish his career with 708 test wickets in 145 games. He made his test debut against India at SCG in 1992. Sadly, Warne passed away in March 2022 aged 52.

5. Glenn McGrath | 214 Innings

Glenn McGrath, the lanky Australian paceman, established himself as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time with his sheer consistency and accuracy. McGrath's relentless line and length troubled batsmen across the globe, made him one of the bowlers who reached fastest to 500 Test Wickets. The 1.95m-tall pace bowler made a good use of his height and accuracy to pick up his 500 test wickets in just 214 Test innings.

Glenn McGrath's 500th test wicket came in a special Ashes Test against England at the Lord's played in iconic 2005 series. He made his Test debut against New Zealand at the WACA, Perth in 1993.

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6. Nathan Lyon | 230 Innings

Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon is the the sixth bowler in the list of fastest to 500 Test wickets. Lyon had a terrific journey from a groundsman to a legendary off-spinner. He picked his 500th Test wicket against Pakistan at Optus Stadium in Perth on 14 December, 2023. Lyon took 230 inings to reach this special milestone in his career.

Nathan Lyon made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at Galle in 2011. He is third Australian bowler to pick up more than 500 test wickets.

7. Courtney Walsh | 236 Innings

Courtney Walsh, the towering West Indian fast bowler, left an indelible mark on the world of cricket with his menacing pace and bounce. Walsh's ability to generate steep bounce from any surface made him a feared adversary for batsmen around the world. It took Walsh 236 Test innings to reach the milestone of 500 Test wickets. He achieved this landmark figure against South Africa at Port of Spain in 2001. Across his test career from 1984-2001, Walsh played 132 matches for West Indies and picked up 519 scalps.

8. James Anderson | 242 Innings

James Anderson, England's premier fast bowler, is widely regarded as one of the finest exponents of swing bowling in the modern era. His ability to move the ball both ways at brisk pace enabled him to join the elite club of 'fastest to 500 Test wickets' list. Anderson achieved this milestone in 242 Test innings. His 500th test wicket came against West Indies at Lord's on 7th September, 2017. Anderson made his test debut against Zimbabwe in 2003 at the Lord's.

9. Stuart Broad | 258 Innings

Stuart Broad, the English fast bowling stalwart, etched his name in the annals of cricket history by joining the elite list of 'fastest to 500 Test wickets'. Broad's ability to seam and swing the ball at pace made him a potent weapon in England's bowling arsenal. It took Broad 258 innings to achieve this milestone. Broad picked his 500th test wicket against West Indies at Old Trafford in July 2020. 

Stuart Broad made his Test debut against Sri Lanka at SSC, Colombo in 2007 and went on to play 167 test matches for England during his career. In his career of 167 matches from 2007 to 2023, Broad picked up 604 wickets for his nation. Broad called time on his international career in 2023 after the Ashes series at home.