Jasprit Bumrah completed his 200 wickets in Test cricket during Australia's second innings in the Melbourne Test. Bumrah completed 200 wickets after taking Travis Head's wicket in his 44th Test. Bumrah, who made his Test debut against South Africa In 2018, completed his 200 wickets in 8484 balls, surpassing the likes of cricket greats such as Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, and Curtly Ambrose.

Also Read: Jasprit Bumrah becomes first-ever player to pick 200 Test wickets with an average below 20

In this article, we will look at the bowlers who took 200 Test wickets in the fewest balls. 

Fastest to complete 200 Test wickets

1# Waqar Younis | 7725 Balls

Former Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis is the bowler to take 200 Test wickets on the fewest balls. This record still stands till date. Waqar made his Test debut in 1989 with Sachin Tendulkar. The landmark came in 1995, as Pakistan beat New Zealand in Christchurch.

Tail-ender Dion Nash was Younis’ only wicket in the match, but he only needed the one for the momentous milestone. Of course, true to form, Younis didn’t need a fielder involved in the dismissal, as he simply bowled Nash with that express pace of his.

2# Dale Steyn | 7848 Balls

Dale Steyn is counted among the best bowlers in Test history. He was at number one in the ranking for many years. Steyn had completed 200 wickets in Test on 7848 balls. With that incredible achievement, he is only the second-fastest bowler to secure 200 Test wickets in terms of the balls bowled.

In 2019, Steyn announced his retirement.

3# Kagiso Rabada | 8154 Balls

Among active bowlers, Kagiso Rabada of South Africa holds the record of taking 200 Test wickets in the fewest balls. Rabada's home situation helps the fast bowlers a lot. This is why his name being in this list is not surprising.

Making his Test debut in 2015, Rabada completed his 200 Test wickets in just 8154 balls. After dismissing Hasan Ali in a Test match against Pakistan back in 2021, Rabada achieved the feat.

4# Jasprit Bumrah | 8484 Balls

In the modern-day cricket, Jasprit Bumrah is a legend. With accuracy and incredible bowling technique, Team India’s crisis man never fails to rescue the team in tough times.

In the ongoing Test match against Australia, Bumrah turned out to be a savior in the second innings, picking up 4 wickets in just 30 runs. After dismissing Travis Head in the 34th over, Bumrah secured his 200 Test scalps in 8484 deliveries. In his 44th Test match, he secured the milestone. With that performance, he is standing in the fourth Position on the list.

5# Malcolm Marshall | 9234 Balls

When it comes to the most feared bowler in the history of cricket, the first person who comes to mind is Malcolm Marshall. In the 80s, there used to be awe of his name among the batsmen. At that time, batsmen used to take less risks but even after this, Marshall had completed 200 wickets in 9234 balls.

In the realm of cricket, leadership is not only about guiding the team but also about leading by example. Captaining a team in Test matches adds an extra layer of responsibility, requiring the ability to inspire and strategize while maintaining individual performance. Captains who can inspire their team through their own performances hold a special place in the annals of cricket history. One of the most significant measures of a captain's impact is their ability to take wickets in Test matches, the pinnacle of the sport.

Let's explore the elite group of bowlers who have not only captained their sides but also have most Test wickets as captain.

Also Read: Most 5 wicket hauls in Test Cricket

Most Test wickets as captain

1. Imran Khan | 187 Wickets

Imran Khan, a charismatic leader and an exceptional all-rounder has the most Test wickets as captain. He captained Pakistan from the early 1980s to the early 1990s. Imran was a renowned sportsman who not only led Pakistan to a World Cup victory but also set an example of ideals for all youngsters to aspire to. He was one of the finest captains of his time.

Imran Khan has got 187 wickets in 48 Test matches in his 21 years of Test career (1971-1992) as captain. He has a total of 362 Test wickets on his name for Pakistan. Imran Khan has the second-best Test figure in this list of best Test captains. 

2. Pat Cummins | 145 Wickets

Pat Cummins joined the elite list of most Test wickets as captain. He has also surpassed Richie Benaud to become the second captain to pick most Test wickets. This also makes him the leading wicket-taker among Australian captains.

Cummins has now taken 145 wickets so far in 37 Test matches as captain at an impressive average of 22.66 with nine five-wicket hauls. The World Cup-winning captain also became the first-ever cricketer to take 100 Test wickets as a captain in the ICC World Test Championship history. Cummins has taken 309 Test wickets at an average of 22.10 so far and is Australia's highest-ranked bowler in the ICC Test bowling standings.

3. Richie Benaud | 138 Wickets

Richie Benaud, who is best remembered as one of Australia's most-imaginative captains, occupies the 2nd spot in terms of taking the most Test wickets as captain, with 138 Test wickets in 28 games. He served as captain of the Australian national team from 1958 to 1963, during which time Australia never lost a Test (international) series.

Benaud first appeared in Test matches in 1951. He developed a reputation as a fine leg-spin bowler as well as an excellent batsman and fielder. He also became known for his intelligent and energetic play.

4. Garfield Sobers | 117 Wickets

Garfield Sobers aka Sir Garry Sobers is considered to be one of the greatest batsmen after Sir Don Bradman and the greatest All Rounder of all time. Garry took 117 wickets of his 39 Test matches as captain. They are the 3rd most behind Imran Khan's 187 and Richie Benaud's 138. 

Garry Sobers holds the record for bowling most number of balls as a captain in Tests. He bowled 10860 balls as a captain. Only other captain to bowl 10000 or more balls is Richie Benaud who bowled 10720 balls.

Also Read: Most sixes in a Test innings

5. Daniel Vettori | 116 Wickets

Former New Zealand left-arm spinner, Daniel Vettori has the fourth most Test wickets as captain. Vettori made his first appearance in Test cricket in 1997 against England. As captain, Vettori took 116 Test wickets at an average of 33.38, and hit four centuries and nine fifties to aggregate 1917 runs.

Under the left-arm spinner, New Zealand have won just six Tests, with four of them coming against Bangladesh, and one each against England and Pakistan, apart from 18 defeats and 13 draws. In the 13 series that Vettori led, New Zealand lost on nine occasions.

6. Kapil Dev | 111 Wickets

Kapil Dev occupies the 5th spot in terms of taking the most Test wickets as captain. He was the first Indian Captain who won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 1983. Kapil is one of the legendary cricketers India have ever produced. Before Kapil Dev's era, cricket was a low-profile game in India with a limited audience. He brought a revolution in Indian cricket through his captaincy.

Kapil Dev led the Indian Test team in 34 matches where he picked 111 Test wickets. He also has overall 434 Test wickets to his name in just 131 Test Matches for India. Every Indian cricket fan was impressed with the one-man show skill that Kapil presented through his bowling, batting, and captaincy. His services as one of the best all-rounders in cricket would be remembered forever.

7. Wasim Akram | 107 Wickets

We all know how good of a player Wasim Akram was during his cricketing days. One of the greatest bowlers of his generation and some say he was the greatest left-arm fast bowler in the history of cricket. The Sultan of swing, the king of reverse swing, and the hero of the 1992 world cup final, Wasim Akram was a trademark fast bowler throughout his career.

Wasim Akram took over the Test captaincy from Javed Miandad in 1993. He captained Pakistan in 25 Tests and took 107 wickets at an average of 23.36. Wasim was also known as a very aggressive and confrontational captain on the field.

8. Bishan Singh Bedi | 106 Wickets

Known for his outspokenness, late cricketer Bishan Singh Bedi occupies the 7th spot in terms of taking the most Test wickets as captain. Bedi was widely known as one of the greatest spinners produced by India who played international cricket.

Bedi, famous for his outstanding accuracy and spin bowling, picked up 266 wickets in Test cricket at an average of 28.71 with 14 five-wicket hauls. The left-arm spinner also claimed seven wickets in the 50-over format. Out of the 266 Test wickets, Bedi bagged 106 of those as captain, having led the Indian team in 22 Tests.

Also Read: Fastest to 500 Test Wickets

9. Shaun Pollock | 103 Wickets

South Africa has produced some magnificent talents in world cricket's history. Among those superb talents, there was another such diamond that waited for its turn to shine, Shaun Pollock. Pollock is the first South African to take 400 wickets. Even the greatest of all time Sachin Tendulkar went cautious while facing him.

Pollock was the captain when South Africa suffered an ignominious exit from the 2003 World Cup, which was held in their country. Pollock played 82 Tests as a player, taking 318 wickets at an average of 23.68, with 12 five-wicket hauls and a best of 7/87. While Pollock played 26 Tests as captain, taking 103 wickets at an average of 21.36, with 4 five-wicket hauls and a best of 6/30.

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England’s star batter Joe Root took major steps on his march towards Sachin Tendulkar as he surpassed two more cricketing greats in his bid to become the top Test run-scorer on Day 3 of the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford. With this, Root has now become the third-highest run-scorer in the history of the format as he went past Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis. Root is now only behind Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting in the list of most Test runs in cricket history.

So, let's take a look at the batters with Most Test Runs in Cricket History.

Also Read: Best test bowling figure in an inning by any Indian bowler at Lord's

Most Test Runs in Cricket History

1. Sachin Tendulkar | 15,921

• Span - 1989-2013
• Innings - 329
• Highest - 248*

India's Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for most runs in Test cricket, having amassed an incredible 15,921 runs in his 24-year career. He played 200 matches and achieved the highest score of 248 not out, maintaining an average of 53.78. He also holds the record for most centuries in Test cricket with a humongous 51 centuries.

2. Ricky Ponting | 13,378

• Span - 1995-2012
• Innings - 287
• Highest - 257

Ricky Ponting, also called Punter, played 168 Test matches and scored 13,378 runs in 287 innings. He had a strong average of 51.85 and hit 41 centuries, with a top score of 257. Known for his sharp pull shots and aggressive captaincy, Ponting remains one of Australia’s most successful and dependable batters.

3. Joe Root | 13,294

• Span - 2012-2025
• Innings - 286
• Highest - 262

Joe Root, the former England captain, broke Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis’ record to become the third leading run getter in Test cricket. Root, who made his Test debut for England in December 2012 against India in Nagpur, needed 31 runs in the ongoing fourth India-England Test to overtake Dravid and Kallis, and he achieved the objective in the morning session of the third day’s play.

Playing his 157th Test (286 innings), Root owns 13,294 runs at an average of 50.93. Apart from 37 tons, he owns 66 half-centuries. His tally of 103 50-plus scores in Tests is the joint-second-most for any batter.

4. Jacques Kallis | 13,289

• Span - 1995-2013
• Innings - 280
• Highest - 224

Jacques Kallis is South Africa’s greatest all-rounder and scored 13,289 runs in 166 Tests and 280 innings. With an amazing average of 55.37, he hit 45 centuries, including a highest score of 224. People often call him “Jakes”, and he was known for being rock solid with the bat and handy with the ball, too.

Also Read: Indian players to record two hundreds in a Test match

5. Rahul Dravid | 13,288

• Span - 1996-2012
• Innings - 286
• Highest - 270

Rahul Dravid, the legendary Indian batsman known as The Wall, was renowned for his solid defense and patience. He played 164 Tests, scored 13,288 runs in 286 innings, and had a strong average of 52.31. He hit 36 centuries, and his highest score was 270. Bowlers found it tough to get past him, which is why he earned the nickname The Wall.

There has been a lot of discussion about the Asia Cup 2025 tournament for a long time. However, now a big report has come out regarding the start of this tournament. The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting was to be held in Dhaka regarding Asia Cup 2025, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to attend it.

Also Read: 'Needs a PR team': 15 players debuted, still no chance for Abhimanyu Easwaran

However, later BCCI attended this meeting online, where Asia Cup was discussed and it is being told that consensus has been reached for organizing the tournament. The tournament will start from 8 September.

Asia Cup 2025 starts on September 8

According to the report, Asia Cup 2025 will start from September 8 and its final match will be played on September 24. 8 teams will participate in it, in which India, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan are full time members.

At the same time, the ACC Premier Cup winning team Hong Kong, Oman and UAE will also participate in it. According to the information, the tournament will be hosted in the UAE. However, BCCI will be its host and will release the schedule soon.

The tournament will be held in T20 format

Keeping in mind the T20 World Cup 2026, this time the Asia Cup will be held in T20 format. Last time there was a ODI World Cup, it was organized in ODI format. Matches were held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka under the hybrid model. The Indian team defeated Sri Lanka in the final and won the trophy of the last edition.

BCCI yet to confirm participation against Pakistan

A major question for the Asia Cup 2025 is whether India will play against Pakistan. Tensions remain high due to recent incidents like the Pahalgam terror attacks and India’s Operation Sindoor, leading to strong public sentiment against sporting ties with Pakistan.

Also Read: ENG vs IND 4th Test: Rishabh Pant to available for batting; Jurel will do wicketkeeping

This pressure has already led to the cancellation of the match between India Champions and Pakistan Champions at the World Championship of Legends, where Indian players withdrew in protest.

While the two teams might be placed in separate groups, a potential clash in the Super 4s or final would make a face-off inevitable, keeping fans and officials on edge.

After Karun Nair's continuous flops, he was dropped from the playing XI in the ENG vs IND fourth Test match at Old Trafford. Everyone was hoping that if Karun sits on the bench, Abhimanyu Easwaran's years-long wait for a Test debut will end.

But captain Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir had decided something else. Sai Sudharsan was given a chance again at the Old Trafford ground and Abhimanyu remained sitting on the bench. He has been with the Indian Test team since 2021-22, but his dream of entering the field wearing Team India's jersey has not yet been realised.

Also Read: ENG vs IND 4th Test: Rishabh Pant to available for batting; Jurel will do wicketkeeping

15 players made their debut before him

Abhimanyu Easwaran has been coming to the squad for the last 4 years and returns home after giving water. Abhimanyu has spent a lot of time in the dressing room, but his dream of playing in Team India's jersey remains just a dream.

Since Abhimanyu's arrival in the Indian team, 15 players have made their Test debut, which also includes young players like Suryakumar Yadav, Rajat Patidar, Ishan Kishan with Anshul Kamboj being the latest one to join the list on Wednesday in Manchester, but his wait is still on. 

But despite constantly proving his ability in domestic cricket, Abhimanyu just keeps resting on the bench. In first class cricket, Abhimanyu has 27 centuries to his name and he has also scored 7,841 runs. 31 fifties have also come from his bat.

Players who perform well in domestic cricket deserve a chance

Some time ago, a big debate broke out regarding domestic cricket. Everyone talked about giving importance to domestic cricket. Team India's head coach Gautam Gambhir himself says that players who perform well in domestic cricket deserve a chance.

But the truth is something else. Coach is not able to do justice to Abhimanyu while sitting in the dressing room. If a batsman remains on the bench for four years despite having around 8 thousand runs and 27 centuries, then what is the use of showing his ability in domestic cricket.

Abhimanyu is far ahead of Sudharsan

You have seen the statistics of Abhimanyu Easwaran, now let us tell you about the domestic record of Sai Sudharsan. Sudarshan has played a total of 30 first class matches so far, in which he has scored 1987 runs at an average of 36.

On the other hand, Abhimanyu's batting average is 54 despite playing 103 matches. Sudharsan has been able to score only 7 centuries and 5 half-centuries in 51 innings. From experience to batting record, Abhimanyu is far ahead of Sudharsan.

Sudharsan came into limelight only because of his strong performance in IPL 2025.

Also Read: Can Jurel bat for Rishabh Pant? Former England captain wants 'like for like subs' option for first innings injuries

Players to make Test debut for India before Easwaran

Since Abhimanyu Easwaran's first call-up to the Test side, 15 players have now gone on to make their Test debut for India before him. They are: 

• K.S Bharat (Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023)
• Suryakumar Yadav (Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023)
• Yashasvi Jaiswal (vs West Indies 2023)
• Ishan Kishan (vs West Indies 2023)
• Mukesh Kumar (vs West Indies 2023)
• Prasidh Krishna (vs South Africa 2023)
• Rajat Patidar (vs England 2024)
• Sarfaraz Khan (vs England 2024)
• Dhruv Jurel (vs England 2024)
• Akash Deep (vs England 2024)
• Devdutt Padikkal (vs England 2024)
• Nitish Kumar Reddy (vs Australia 2024)
• Harshit Rana (vs Australia 2024)
• Sai Sudharsan (vs England 2025)
• Anshul Kamboj (vs England 2025)

Indian team's star wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant will be available to bat. However, he will not do wicketkeeping. Dhruv Jurel will take over wicketkeeping in his place. BCCI confirmed this news on Thursday through their X handle.

India vice-captain Rishabh Pant, on Thursday, joined the Indian camp at the Old Trafford ground on Day 2 of the ongoing ENG vs IND fourth Test, a day after he sustained a foot injury. 

Also Read: Can Jurel bat for Rishabh Pant? Former England captain wants 'like for like subs' option for first innings injuries

“Rishabh Pant, who sustained an injury to his right foot on Day 1 of the Manchester Test, will not be performing wicket-keeping duties for the remainder of the match. Dhruv Jurel will assume the role of wicket-keeper. Despite his injury, Rishabh Pant has joined the team on Day 2 and will be available to bat as per team requirements,” BCCI wrote.

𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: Rishabh Pant, who sustained an injury to his right foot on Day 1 of the Manchester Test, will not be performing wicket-keeping duties for the remainder of the match. Dhruv Jurel will assume the role of wicket-keeper.

Despite his injury, Rishabh Pant has joined the…

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 24, 2025

However, the board has not said whether he is out of the series or not. Earlier, news agency PTI had informed that Pant is out of the remaining series. 

Pant looked in a lot of pain

Pant was batting on 37 runs in the first innings when the ball hit his foot while attempting a reverse sweep. In the 68th over of the Indian innings, a ball from Chris Woakes hit his right leg. After this, he lay down on the ground and looked in a lot of pain.

Even when the physio arrived, he was seen groaning in pain. Then an attempt was made to lift him up and take him away, but he could not walk. Then he was taken to the ambulance. Blood was seen oozing from Pant's right leg, and there was a lot of swelling in that part of the body.

Post stumps, Pant was taken for scans, which confirmed a toe fracture.

“Yes, Rishabh Pant is ruled out of the series. He went for scans last night, and the reports have revealed a toe fracture. There is just no chance of him batting as he is in a lot of pain right now.” Source said.

Jurel to keep the wickets

The board may also ask KL Rahul to keep wickets, but he has not performed this responsibility since the South Africa tour in the 2023-24 season. The team's other wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel was not included in the playing XI for the fourth Test match.

Also Read: ENG vs IND 4th Test: 14 times in a row, Team India loses toss again, the odds of that are apparently 16,384-1

This is the second time Pant has suffered an injury in the series. He injured his finger while wicketkeeping during the third Test at Lord's due to which he was unable to keep wickets in England's second innings. Dhruv Jurel had kept wicket as a replacement then. He will be seen keeping wicket in place of Pant in the ENG vs IND 4th test as well.