Test cricket is all about taking 20 wickets. Without that one can not win a test match. That is why captains throughout decades have always tried to make bowling line up that will rip through opponents. From the mighty West Indies to invincible Australia and then Graeme Smith's pace attack they all have one thing, hunger for wickets. Not only pacers, spinners like Shane Warne, Muralitharan and Anil Kumble was as lethal with the ball as any could be. This makes us reveal the bowlers with the best strike rate with more than 200 test wickets.

Read Also: ICC Men's Cricketer of the year since 2004

What does strike rate mean in terms of bowling?

For a batter, strike rate means how many runs he would score in 100 balls. For a bowler, the strike rate means how many balls he takes to take one wicket. They calculate it by dividing the total number of wickets taken by the bowler from the total number of balls bowled by the bowler.

Bowling strike rate = (Total wickets taken)/ (total balls bowled)

Top 8 bowlers with best strike rate in test cricket with more than 200 test wickets

#8 Mohammed Shami | 49.8

Mohammed Shami under the captaincy of Virat Kohli flourished a lot as a striker bowler. He has been fabulous with both the new and the old ball. Shami, who is always praised for his seam presentations and relentless bowling, has taken a test wicket in 49.8 balls.

The pacer till now has played 57 test matches for India. He has bowled 10413 balls in his career and taken 209 wickets. Ashtonishlgy his strike rate has been better in India than in overseas countries like Australia and England. This speaks for his strength to bowl in flatter conditions.

#7 Fred Trueman | 49.4

Fast and frightening, these are the two words you need to use to describe the man from Yorkshire, England. He was the first-ever player to take 300 test wickets. It could have been 400 if he had not missed many matches due to discipline issues and misconduct. He reduced India to a 0 for 4 in his debut Test, which was the start of a remarkable test career of 67 test matches.

Freddie Trueman finished with 307 wickets and had an outstanding average of 21.57 which was unmatching back then in the late 50s.

#6 Mitchell Starc | 49.2

Tall, quick, aggressive and an Aussie, Mitchell Starc always had everything to be a great fast bowler. Though the road to greatness was not always easy for the left-armer. Injuries have always worried him. However, when Starc gets his tail up it is quite a view for the spectators, not for the batters though. Though he debuted for the Australian team in 2011, he could only cement his place after a magnificent 2015 season.

Till now Starc has played 62 test matches and has taken 274 wickets in them. Although he might be more expensive at the time considering his other partners, Starc's ability to take wickets at any situation of the game still makes him one of the best in the world. His bowling strike rate of 49.2 among the bowlers with 200+ wickets makes him sit on the number six on the list.

#5 Allan Donald | 47.0

Named as the White-lightning, Donald was perhaps the most loved yet feared bowler on this list. He was quick, on your face and accurate. His run-up was one of the most beautiful things on a cricket field. Donald was the first one from his country to take 300 test wickets. If it would not have been for the injuries, the white lightning surely would have been the first South African to 400 test wickets.

In his 72 tests, Donald took 330 wickets at a bowling average of 22.5 and a strike of 47 with 20 five-wicket hauls in them.

#4 Malcolm Marshal | 46.7

A fearsome part of the most feared bowling lineup ever to take the field, Malcolm Marshal of West Indies comes at number five of our list of bowlers with the best strike rate in Test Cricket. Marshal was the 4th quickest to 300 test wickets in the history of the game. He was a bit of a dancer in his run-up with an attacking mind to send rockets down the wicket.

Marshal took 376 test wickets in the 81 test matches that he had featured. He also had an outstanding average of 20.94 runs per wicket. He also won a staggering 6 Man of the Series award in his test career. Only Shivnarine Chanderpaul holds more awards (7) than him as a West Indian.

#3 Waqar Yunis | 43.4

If anyone could hit the batter's toes at will, it was Waqar Yunis. Perhaps known for his lethal bowling with the older ball, Waqar always had the knack of hitting the stumps quite often than not. Though he had lost his charm in the latter part of his career, Waqar always had the skill to blow up any team in his day.

The Pakistani spearhead bowled 16224 balls in his 87 test matches. His 373 test wickets came at a strike rate of 43.4 balls per wicket. Although his strike rate against teams like India, Australia and South Africa are 80.2, 62.7 and 50.6 respectively.

#2 Dale Steyn | 42.3

Dale Steyn is perhaps the best test bowler of the last decade. Yes, there might be a comparison of him with James Anderson, but his ability to take wickets at any situation of a test against any opposition makes him arguably the best of the lot. The South African pacer is the highest wicket-taker in tests for his country. Moreover, he also holds the record for the most fifer taken by any South African.

Steyn bowled 18608 balls in test cricket in his 93 tests. He finished his career with 439 wickets and 26 five-fors against his name.

#1 Kagiso Rabada | 40.7

KG Rabada as they say is as mean as it gets. He is genuinely quick and at you. Moreover, he is relentless. To be fair, South Africa never missed Dale Steyn when they had Rabada firing it from an end for them. Except against New Zealand, Rabada has a strike rate of below 50 against every test playing nation, which eventually makes a threat in any conditions and against any opponent.

A 52 tests old Rabada now has 233 test wickets and still has a long career ahead of him. He surely is the one to go past Dale Steyn's record in future. With a 40.7 bowling strike rate, Rabada tops the list among the bowlers with more than 200 test wickets. Moreover, he also ranks 4th in career strike rate in Test cricket's history.

Matt Henry dismissed opener Brian Bennett for a duck during his first over of Zimbabwe’s second innings on the third day of the second Test, and that made it the 38th consecutive innings of him taking at least one wicket. Among pacers, only Australia’s Dennis Lillee and Pakistan’s Waqar Younis have maintained a longer streak of taking at least one wicket in an innings.

In this article, we will have a look at the pacers with longest wicket-taking streak in Tests.

Also Read: Most Hundreds in Test cricket among active players

Longest wicket-taking streak in Tests among pacers

1. Dennis Lillee | 41 Innings

One of Australia's greatest ever fast bowlers, Dennis Lillee held the record for longest wicket-taking streak in Tests. He has 41 consecutive innings of taking at least one wicket. 

Lillee finished his career with 355 Test wickets playing 70 matches, including taking a wicket off his final delivery in international cricket. He also has 23 five-wicket hauls and 7 ten-wicket hauls.

2. Waqar Younis | 41 Innings

Waqar Younis jointly holds the record for longest wicket-taking streak in Tests, as the former Pakistan seamer achieved this feat for 41 straight innings. The former right arm fast bowler is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time.

As of 2012, Younis holds the record for the youngest Pakistani Test captain and the third youngest Test captain in history (22 years 15 days). He played 87 Tests matches for Pakistan during his international cricket career from 1989 to 2003. He has 373 wickets in test cricket with a brilliant average of 23.56. Younis also has 22 five-wicket hauls and 5 ten-wicket hauls to his name.

3. Matt Henry | 38* Innings

New Zealand’s Matt Henry is potentially two Tests and four innings away from an all-time record of Lillee and Younis after the Kiwi speedster struck in his first over of Zimbabwe’s second innings on the third day of the second Test. Henry dismissed opener Brian Bennett for a duck, and that made it the 38th consecutive innings of him taking at least one wicket.

Since the start of 2024, Henry is now taken 64 wickets at an average of 15.96. No bowler who has taken 60+ wickets during this period, not even Jasprit Bumrah, has maintained a better average. January 3, 2021, in Christchurch (second innings) against Pakistan was the last time Henry failed to take a wicket in an innings in Tests.

Also Read: Most Test Centuries in Cricket History

4. Kagiso Rabada | 38 Innings

Proteas pace ace Kagiso Rabada is the most lethal bowler in Test history. He also has 38 consecutive innings of taking at least one wicket. Rabada (39.1) also holds the record for the best SR in Test cricket history among players with more than 150 Test wickets.

In 71 Tests, Rabada managed to take 336 wickets so far with an average of 21.74. He also has 17 five-wicket hauls and four ten-wicket hauls to his name. 

Cricket is a game played in partnership. No matter how good you are, you can not survive without a partner at the non-striker end. Therefore, cricketers form bonds that extend beyond the cricket field and last a lifetime. On this Friendship Day, we bring you the 5 best cricketing friendships in cricket history.

5 best cricketing friendships in cricket history

#1 Sachin Tendulkar & Sourav Ganguly

Well, if you talk about partnerships in cricket and do not talk about Sachin and Sourav, you are doing a sin. The Indian pair is one of the most successful opening pairs in cricket history. Their cricketing friendship dates back to U-17 days. Sourav and Sachin met each other there and toured with the India U-17 team. Although Sachin went on to represent India at a very young age, their friendship remained the same.

Read Also: Sourav Ganguly Records

In fact, it was Sachin and Sourav who transformed the Indian team post the match-fixing scandal. They both scored 6609 runs as an opening pair in ODI cricket, which is a record in itself. Also, they scored the most number of hundred-run partnerships in ODI cricket, with 21 as an opening pair and 26 overall.

They scored 8227 ODI runs as a pair in ODI cricket, a record that might not be broken ever.

#2 Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene

These two Sri Lankan stalwarts dominated world cricket as a pair throughout their career. In fact, they were the only reason, along with Muralitharan, that Sri Lanka ruled cricket in the mid-2000s. Sri Lanka became unbeatable on their home soil on the banks of partnerships of Sanga and Mahela.

Read Also: Most international sixes in Cricket by Captains

They both piled up runs with ease in international cricket. Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene scored 6554 runs together in test cricket, which is only second to Dravid and Tendulkar's 6920 runs. Their 624-run partnership against South Africa in 2006 is still the highest at any batting position in test cricket.

Kumar and Mahela now own restaurants together. Also, they are trying to help Sri Lankan cricket get back on their feet.

Read Also: Top 10 teams with the most wins in T20I cricket

#3 Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath

Probably the greatest bowling pair in cricket history, Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath played together and ended their cricket careers together. Perhaps it was because of them that Australia would win against any opposition and at any place.

Ashes to Ashes, Dust to dust, If McGrath can't get you, Warne must.

This old saying about Warne and McGrath reveals their greatness. Moreover, it talks about how they used to hunt in pairs. Though Warne was a bit flamboyant in his life, this duo's cricketing friendship ended many batsmen's careers. Warne is the highest wicket-taker in Ashes history with 195 wickets, while McGrath is the second highest with 157 wickets. They both played 104 Tests in tandem and took 1,011 wickets. In fact, Wisden has stated them to be the greatest bowling pair of all time.

Read Also: Most Wickets in the ICC Men's ODI World Cup

#4 AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn

The only batting-bowling pair on our special list of best cricketing friendships. Dale Styen and AB de Villiers started their career together and literally made South Africa the best cricket team in the world. 

Though the pair could not win any major ICC trophies for South Africa, they were the best Test team in the world during their time. Steyn finished his career as the highest test wicket-taker for South Africa (439), beating Shaun Pollock's record of 421 test wickets. Meantime, AB Deviliers is known as one of the most complete batters ever.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by ? (@dalesteyn)

Read Also: Most Sixes in International Cricket History | Top 25 Batters

#5 Waqar Yunis and Wasim Akram

Waqar and Wasim are probably the most lethal bowling pair in modern cricket. The duo from Pakistan dominated the world with sheer pace and swing. Perhaps, Waqar is said to be the best reverse-swing bowler ever, while Wasim Akram is said to be the "sultan of swing" (king of swing).

If Waqar could break your toes, Wasim could too. They both complemented each other so well that they took 500 test wickets in 61 test matches together. They are both probably the best pacers that Pakistan has ever produced.

Read Also: Fastest to complete 200 Test wickets by balls bowled

Wasim finished as the bowler with the most wickets in ODI cricket, alongside being the highest wicket-taker in international cricket as a left-arm pacer.

Other than these pairs, the world has seen many great friendships like Virat-ABD, Bravo-Pollard, Dravid-Kumble and Smith-Marnus over the years. We have chosen the best from 5 separate countries.

Note: The article was first published on Aug 1, 2021 and then got updated over time.

Indian cricket history has witnessed many pace bowlers who posed a threat to the opposition with their skill and guile. Pacers has played a role in the rise of the sport’s popularity. Some bowlers became match winners, the go-to player for captains whenever the team needed wickets.

Let's take a look at those pace bowlers who have the most international wickets for India.

Also Read: Most international runs in Cricket history

Most International Wickets for India (Pacers)

1. Kapil Dev | 687 Wickets

The World Cup-winning skipper, Kapil Dev has the most International wickets for India (pacer). He took a total of 687 wickets in 356 international appearances. These scalps have come at an average of 28.83, with best bowling figures of 9/83. Kapil Dev has a total of 20 four-wicket hauls, 24 fifers, and two ten-wicket hauls in the international arena. He also scored over 9,000 international runs with nine centuries.

2. Zaheer Khan | 597 Wickets

Zaheer Khan was the backbone of the 2000s Indian pace and has taken a total of 597 wickets at an average of 31.48. He has best bowling figures of 7/83. Zaheer has 23 four-fers, 12 five-wicket hauls, and a ten-wicket haul in international cricket. The 2011 World Cup winner had the ability to swing the ball both ways and was quite deadly in the death overs.

3. Javagal Srinath | 551 Wickets

Javagal Srinath, who is fondly known as Mysore Express is considered among India's finest fast bowlers and has taken 551 international wickets for Team India at an average of 29.11. His best bowling figures are 8/86. He has 15 four-wicket hauls, 13 five-wicket hauls, and a ten-wicket haul in international cricket. 

Also Read: The Greatest T20I Records That Will Stand the Test of Time

4. Mohammed Shami | 462 Wickets

Since making his debut in 2013, Mohammed Shami has made a total of 197 international appearances for India. He has been one of India’s finest pacers in the current era and has an amazing record across formats. Shami has taken a total of 462 wickets at an average of 26.10. His best bowling figures are 7/57. Shami has 22 four-wicket hauls and 12 five-wicket hauls for India. 

5. Jasprit Bumrah | 457* Wickets 

Jasprit Bumrah is the fifth Indian pacer who has the most international wickets. Bumrah is one of India’s most unique pacers who is known very well for his unorthodox action, incredible pace and the ability to take wickets under pressure in every format of the game. 

in 207* matches, Bumrah has taken 457 wickets at an average of 20.63, with the best bowling figures of 6/19. He has 17 five-wicket hauls and 13 four-wicket hauls in his international career.

Also Read: Most international wickets for India

6. Ishant Sharma | 434 Wickets

Ishant Sharma played for India between 2007 and 2021 and he was part of the 2013 Champions Trophy-winning team. Ishant took 434 wickets in 199 international matches, which included 105 tests, and took 11 fifers, 16 four-wicket hauls, and one ten-wicket match haul. His best bowling figures are 7/74. 

Indian bowlers, especially pacers, have always waited for the tour of England since it produces seam-friendly pitches, which help them get more wickets. From legends of yesteryears like Kapil to modern-day greats like Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, they have had success in England against England. 

In this article, we present you the list of bowlers with the most wickets vs England in England for India in tests. 

1. Jasprit Bumrah | 51 Wickets

One of the most successful bowlers of this era, Jasprit Bumrah, has the most wickets vs England in England for India in tests. His finest skillset and ability to generate steep bounce and challenging seam movement with his unorthodox bowling action, got him 51 wickets in just 11 matches (20 innings) so far, and there's more to come in the future.

Bumrah achieved his 51st Test wicket during the second innings of the fourth Test match against England in Manchester. With this, he achieved a milestone of 50 Test wickets in England. He joins Wasim Akram (53) and Ishant Sharma (51) as the only Asian bowlers to reach this mark. He now has 51 wickets, averaging 26.38 and an economy rate of just 2.79. He also has 4 five-wicket hauls to under his name.

Bumrah's stats vs England in England

2. Ishant Sharma | 48 Wickets

Ishant Sharma is widely known for his pace and wicket-taking abilities. He took 48 wickets in 14 matches, with an economy of 3.29.

Ishant's ability to make the ball come in from a difficult length has worked well on English conditions. Moreover, his short-ball strategy during the 2014 series at Lord's helped India register a famous win in England.

Read Also: Most international wickets for India

Sharma's stats vs England in England

3. Kapil Dev | 43 Wickets

The Indian legend, Kapil Dev, is the third-highest wicket-taker in the list with 43 wickets in 13 matches played. The former Indian captain has an exceptional record against England and dominated on their home soil throughout his career.

Kapil's incredible outswing always had the batters guessing and with his ability to clean up tails, also helped him get many wickets in those conditions.

Dev stats vs England in England

4. Anil Kumble | 36 Wickets 

Anil Kumble holds the fourth place for most wickets vs England in England for India in tests. He took 36 wickets in 10 matches, which is commendable for a spinner in such conditions.

Kumble was the senior-most bowler of the squad during that time, and was often described as bowling "faster" for a spinner, that too with high accuracy. His spin deliveries was considered to be as fast as a "jumbo jet."

Kumble's stats vs England in England

5. Bishan Singh Bedi | 35 Wickets

Bishan Singh Bedi is the one name that stands out while discussing the wicket-taking rate against England. Bedi's incredible stat as a spinner in pace bowling friendly conditions like England sets him apart from the rest.

He took 35 wickets in 12 matches (18 innings), with an economy less than 3. Bedi also has the highest number of maidens among all the players in this list.

Singh Bedi stats vs England in England

6. Mohammed Shami | 34 Wickets

Mohammad Shami has a brilliant overseas record, and only a few Indian bowlers can be at the level with him. He has 34 wickets in 12 matches to his name, with an economy of 3.56.

Shami consistently hits challenging lengths, which makes him a wicket-taker against England batters. His unfortunate absence in the upcoming Test squad against England therefore became a point of concern for the fans.

Shami's status vs England in England

7. Mohammed Siraj | 32 Wickets

Mohammed Siraj, who made his debut in the Boxing Day Test of 2020, holds the seventh position with 32 wickets in just 9 matches at an average of 35.93 and an economy rate of 3.93.

Siraj also recorded the second-best bowling performance by an Indian at Edgbaston in Test cricket since Chetan Sharma’s 6/58 in 1986. The Hyderabad-born cricketer also became the first visiting pacer to bag a six-wicket haul at Edgbaston since 1993.

Siraj's stats vs England in England

8. B. S. Chandrasekhar | 31 Wickets

The wizard of leg spin, B.S. Chandrashekhar, makes his way up here with 31 wickets in 9 matches against England on their home soil. He had a phenomenal bowling figure in a match with 8 wickets (conceding 114 runs).

His most cherished performance against England came in the 1971 Oval Test, where he took 6 wickets for 38 runs, leading India to secure their first series victory on the English soil.

Read Also: Weird Styles: Indian players with unusual bowling actions

Chandrashekhar stats vs England in England

9. Zaheer Khan | 31 Wickets

One of India's most celebrated pace bowlers, Zaheer Khan, holds the ninth position with 31 wickets in only 8 away matches vs England. The former left-arm pacer was one of the best for India during his era. 

Zaheer had made legends like Alastair Cook his bunny with his lethal outswingers, going away from Cook. He was the best of his time, who significantly enhanced India's bowling strength.

Khan's stats vs England in England 

10. Ravindra Jadeja | 29 Wickets

Ravindra Jadeja, who is one of India's key all-rounders, holds the tenth position with 29 wickets in 14 matches. He is equally good with the bat as he is with spinning the ball for his nation.

Jadeja's ability to bowl long spells with variations, makes him a vital asset for the Indian team.

Read Also: Most Wickets for India in Test Cricket | Ravindra Jadeja overtakes Ishant Sharma’s tally

Jadeja's stats vs England in England 

11. Vinoo Mankad | 20 Wickets

Vinoo Mankad stands out from an early era. The former all-rounder truly made his mark on England soil by taking 20 wickets in just 6 matches. 

With his tight bowling and impeccable lengths, Mankad made the most out of the English conditions and proved why he was considered one of the best of his generation.

Mankad stats vs England in England 

12. Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan | 20 Wickets 

The 12th name on the list, Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan, who also had success in the English conditions, took 20 wickets in 10 matches.

He was a valuable off-spinner for the team, known for his accuracy and control over the ball.

Venkataraghavan's status vs England in England 

Australia pacer Mitchell Starc scripted history in the third Test against West Indies in Jamaica as he grabbed the fastest five-wicket haul in Test history, in just 15 balls. No player in world cricket has ever managed to take a 5-wicket haul in fewer deliveries. With this Starc also surpassed Chaminda Vaas in terms of taking most wickets in tests by left-arm seamers. 

In this article, we will take a look at those left-arm bowlers with most wickets in tests.

Also Read: 5 wickets in 15 balls! Mitchell Starc creates record for the fastest five-wicket haul in test cricket

Most Wickets in Tests by left-arm seamers

7. Neil Wagner | 260

Neil Wagner, the former New Zealand fast bowler, claimed 260 wickets in 64 Tests at an average of 27.60 for New Zealand, from 2012 until his international retirement in February 2024, earning plaudits along the way for his indefatigable left-arm line of attack. 

He was a key member of the team that reached number one in the world and won the inaugural Test world championship in 2021. Among career highlights were his roles in famous victories over England in 2018 and last year's one-run win over the same opposition in Wellington.

6. Zaheer Khan | 311

Zaheer Khan, India’s finest left-arm seamer, has played 92 tests and took 311 wickets with 11 five-wicket hauls. Known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, Zaheer was a key figure in many of India’s overseas wins. His standout performances in England and South Africa helped India win Test matches in challenging conditions. 

5. Mitchell Johnson | 313

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, who struck fear into batsmen around the world but especially on the bouncy pitches of his homeland, took 313 wickets in 73 tests at an average of 28.40.

He was a pretty decent bowler throughout his career, but during his peak, he was one of the terrifying bowlers in the world. One of the most notable performances from him was the 2013-14 Ashes in Australia, where he ripped apart the English lineup, match-after-match, innings-after-innings.

4. Trent Boult | 317

Trent Boult is a New Zealand cricketer who is known for being a threat to batsmen all over the world because of his ability to swing the ball on both sides. Boult debuted in Test matches in 2011. He’s the fourth-highest wicket-taker as a left-arm seamers in Tests as he took 317 wickets in 78 matches. He owns 18 four-wicket hauls, 10 five-wicket hauls and 1 ten-wicket haul.

His best bowling figures in Test innings are 6 for 30 runs and a single Test match 10 wickets for 80 runs. He was a part of the winning squad of the ICC World Test Championship in 2019-2021.

3. Chaminda Vaas | 355

In a time when Murali was taking all the plaudits, Vaas was undoubtedly Sri Lanka’s greatest fast bowler, picking up 355 wickets in 111 Tests at an impressive average of 29.58. He’s the only seamer from the island nation to have over 200 wickets and took career best figures of 7/71 with his deceptive swing and persistent line and length.

2. Mitchell Starc | 402

Australian speedster Mitchell Starc set several records in the 3rd and final Test against West Indies in Kingston. In his 100th Test appearance, Starc took seven wickets, including six in the final innings. He recorded a fifer off just 15 balls. 

Starc returned figures worth 6/9 from 7.3 overs in the fourth innings, his career-best in the format. This was his 16th Test fifer. Starc, who became the 16th Aussie to complete 100 Test appearances, has now 402 wickets as a left-arm seamers in test at an average of 27.02.

Also Read: West Indies vs Australia: West Indies register second lowest test score in an inning by a team

1. Wasim Akram | 414

Regarded as one of the greatest left-arm fast bowlers to have played the game, Wasim Akram represented Pakistan in 104 Tests between 1985 and 2002, claiming 414 wickets at an average of 23.06. He also took 25 5-wicket halls. Among these, he took two Test hat-tricks. His best bowling figures in a test match were 7/119.