Test cricket is the toughest form of cricket. The bowlers have to take 20 wickets to win the matches. The pitches these days are batting friendly and pose challenges to the bowlers. The fast and spin bowlers have to work hard to take wickets. Fast bowling requires a lot of stamina, speed, direction and the ability to reverse swing as ball goes older are the mark of a fast bowler. Similarly a spinner needs to have flight, direction, ability to tempt and pressure batsmen to come forward and go for shots and variations to deceive the batsmen. The bowlers need to take wickets and also control the flow of runs. There have been bowlers who have achieved these feats. Here we look at the fastest bowlers to reach 400 wickets in test matches. The list includes three from India, two from West Indies , South Africa and Australia, and one each from England, New Zealand , Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
1. Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan was one of finest spin bowlers who made the ball spin both ways and was a champion bowler in world cricket. He made his Test debut against Australia in 1992. He has played 133 Test matches and picked 800 wickets taking 5 wickets in an innings 67 times and 10 wickets in a match 22 times. He picked his 400th wicket against Zimbabwe at Galle on 12th January 2002. He took 72 Test matches to take 400 wickets in Test matches with an average 5.5 wickets per match as against an over average of 22.27 in his entire career. He played from 1992-2010.
2. Richard Haddlee
Richard Haddlee was one of finest fast bowlers for New Zealand. He made his Test debut against Pakistan in 1973. He played 86 Test matches and picked up a total 431 wickets. He took 5 wickets in an innings 36 times and 10 wickets in a match 9 times. He picked his 400th wicket against India at Christruch on 2nd February 1990. He took 80 Test matches to take 400 wickets at an average of 22.29. He played from 1973-1990.
3. DW Styen
Dale Stein is another great fast bowler of modern day cricket to reach 400 wickets in test matches. He is one of the finest fast bowler to play for South Africa. He made his Test debut against England in December 2004. He has played 79 Test matches for South Africa so far and picked 400 wickets in 80th match. He took 5 wickets in an innings 25 times and 10 wickets in a match 5 times. He picked his 400th wicket against Bangladesh at Dhaka in the ongoing Test match on 30 July 2015 by getting out Tamim Iqbal. He took 80 Test matches to reach 400 wickets. At an average 22.58.
4. Anil Kumble
Anil Kumble was one of finest spinners that India ever had. He made his Test debut against England in 1990. He has played a total of 132 Test matches and picked 619 wickets. He took 5 wickets in an innings 35 times and 10 wickets in a match 8 times in his entire career. He has the credit of taking all 10 wickets in an innings against Pakistan. He picked his 400th wicket against Australia at Bangalore on 6th October 2004. He took 85 Test matches to take 400 wickets with an average of 29.65 . He played from 1990-2008.
5. Glenn McGrath
Glenn McGrath was one of best fast bowlers at the time when the Australia had a top quality bowling attack. He bowled line and length, did not allow the batsmen to score runs with ease. He made his Test debut against NewZeleand in 1993. He played 124 Test matches and picked 563 wickets taking 5 wickets in an innings 29 times and 10 wickets in a match 3 times only. He picked his 400th wicket against Pakistan at Sharjah on 19th October 2002. He took 87 test matches to take 400 wickets in test matches with an average of 21.64. He played from 1993-2007.
6. Shane Warne
Shane Warne an Australian legend is one of the greatest spinners of all time. He bowled with great variations and not allowed the batsmen to score runs freely. He made his Test debut against India in 1992. He has played 145 Test matches and picked up a total of 708 wickets taking 5 wickets in an innings 37 times and 10 wickets in a match 10 times. He picked his 400th wicket against England at Oval on 23rd August 2001. He took 92 Test matches to reach the landmark of 400 wickets with an average of 25.41. He played from 1992- 2007.
7. Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram was a great pace bowler of Pakistan who proved very tough to face for any batsman. He was a lethal with his reverse swing bowling and with Waqar Younis proved to be a lethal pair of fast bowlers. He made his Test debut against NewZeleand in 1985. He played 104 Test matches and picked 414 wickets taking 5 wickets in an innings 25 times and 10 wickets in a match 5 times. He picked his 400th wicket against Sri Lanka at SSC Colombo on 14th June 2000. He took 96 matches to reach 400 wickets with an average of 23.62. He is currently the coach of the Kolkata Knight Rider team in the IPL. He played from 1985-2002.
8. Harbhajan Singh
Harbhjan Singh was one of the top spinners to play for India and reach 400 wickets in Test matches. He has been selected for the Sri Lanka tour starting from 12th August. He came back to Indian Test team against Bangladesh early this year after a gap of 4 years. He made his Test debut against Australia in 1998. He has played 102 Test matches and picked 416 wickets taking 5 wickets in an innings 25 times and 10 wickets in a match 5 times. He picked his 400th wicket against West Indies at Dominica on 6th July 2011. He took 96 Test matches to reach 400 wickets with an average of 32.32.
9. Curtley Ambrose
Courtney Walsh, a West Indian bowler was another great fast bowler to reach 400 wickets in Test matches. He considered a great pace bowler for West Indies along with Courtney Walsh. He made his Test debut against Pakistan in April 1988. He played 98 Test matches for West Indies and picked 405 wickets , taking 5 wickets in an innings 22 times and 10 wickets in a match 3 times. He picked his 400th wicket against England at Leeds on 17th August 2000. He took 97 Test matches to reach 400 wickets with an average of 20.99. He played from 1988- 2000.
10. Shaun Pollock
Shaun Pollock a great bowler for South Africa had top quality bowling attack. He made his Test debut against England on 16 November 1995. He played 108 Test matches for West Indies and picked 421 wickets, taking 5 wickets in an innings 16 times and 10 wickets in a match 1 time only. He picked his 400th wicket against India at Johannesburg on 15 December 2006. He took 103 Test matches to reach 400 wickets an average of 23.11 . He was also considered a useful batsman at the lower order which can contribute to the team cause. He played from 1995- 2008.
11. James Anderson
James Anderson is another fast bowler of modern day cricket to reach 400 wickets in Test matches. He is one of the best bowler to play in current times for England. He made his Test debut against Zimbabwe in May. He has played 105 Test matches for England so far and picked 406 wickets, taking 5 wickets in an innings 17 times and 10 wickets in a match 2 times. He picked his 400th wicket against NewZeleand at Leeds on 29th May 2015. He took 104 test matches to reach 400 wickets with an average of 29.41 . He picked 6 wickets in the first innings of the third Test match against Australia in ongoing Ashes series.
12. Courtney Walsh
Courtney Walsh was another great fast bowler of West Indies to reach 400 wickets in Test matches. He made his debut against Australia in November 1984. He played 132 Test matches for West Indies and picked 519 wickets, taking 5 wickets in an innings 22 times and 10 wickets in a match 3 times. He picked his 400th wicket against Australia at Port of Spain on 5 March 1999. He took 107 Test matches to reach 400 wickets with an average of 24.44 . He used to scare the batsmen dance with his lethal bowling. He played from 1984-2001.
13. Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev was the first Indian bowler in history to reach 400 wickets in Test matches. He is considered India’s all time great all rounder who can bat and bowl. He made his Test debut against Pakistan in October. He played 131 Test matches for India and picked 434 wickets, taking 5 wickets in an innings 23 times and 10 wickets in a match 2 times. He picked his 400th wicket against Australia at Perth on 1 February 1992. He took 115 Test matches to complete this feat with an average of 29.64 . He also scored runs with bat which made him a dangerous batsman too. He played from 1978-1994.
