Who has the best bowling average in Test history? Among bowlers with at least 150 Test wickets, England’s Sydney Barnes still leads with 189 wickets at 16.43, more than a century after his last Test. Second on the list is India’s Jasprit Bumrah: 234 wickets in 52 Tests at 19.79, the best average of any bowler of the modern era with that many wickets.
The bowling average is the number of runs conceded per wicket. The lower it is, the better. Below, the full top 20 according to ESPNcricinfo’s records at the time of this update, then a closer look at the leading names.
Best bowling average in Test cricket (minimum 150 wickets)
| # | Bowler | Career | Tests | Wickets | Average | Strike rate | 5-wkt hauls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney Barnes (ENG) | 1901-1914 | 27 | 189 | 16.43 | 41.65 | 24 |
| 2 | Jasprit Bumrah (IND) | 2018-2025 | 52 | 234 | 19.79 | 42.86 | 16 |
| 3 | Alan Davidson (AUS) | 1953-1963 | 44 | 186 | 20.53 | 62.29 | 14 |
| 4 | Malcolm Marshall (WI) | 1978-1991 | 81 | 376 | 20.94 | 46.76 | 22 |
| 5 | Joel Garner (WI) | 1977-1987 | 58 | 259 | 20.97 | 50.84 | 7 |
| 6 | Curtly Ambrose (WI) | 1988-2000 | 98 | 405 | 20.99 | 54.57 | 22 |
| 7 | Jim Laker (ENG) | 1948-1959 | 46 | 193 | 21.24 | 62.31 | 9 |
| 8 | Fred Trueman (ENG) | 1952-1965 | 67 | 307 | 21.57 | 49.43 | 17 |
| 9 | Glenn McGrath (AUS) | 1993-2007 | 124 | 563 | 21.64 | 51.95 | 29 |
| 10 | Kagiso Rabada (SA) | 2015- | 74 | 343 | 21.97 | 39.43 | 17 |
| 11 | Pat Cummins (AUS) | 2011- | 76 | 326 | 22.20 | 46.02 | 14 |
| 12 | Allan Donald (SA) | 1992-2002 | 72 | 330 | 22.25 | 47.02 | 20 |
| 13 | Richard Hadlee (NZ) | 1973-1990 | 86 | 431 | 22.29 | 50.85 | 36 |
| 14 | Vernon Philander (SA) | 2011-2020 | 64 | 224 | 22.32 | 50.85 | 13 |
| 15 | Muttiah Muralidaran (SL) | 1992-2010 | 133 | 800 | 22.72 | 55.04 | 67 |
| 16 | Imran Khan (PAK) | 1971-1992 | 88 | 362 | 22.81 | 53.75 | 23 |
| 17 | Dale Steyn (SA) | 2004-2019 | 93 | 439 | 22.95 | 42.38 | 26 |
| 18 | Keith Miller (AUS) | 1946-1956 | 55 | 170 | 22.97 | 61.53 | 7 |
| 19 | Ray Lindwall (AUS) | 1946-1960 | 61 | 228 | 23.03 | 59.86 | 12 |
| 20 | Shaun Pollock (SA) | 1995-2008 | 108 | 421 | 23.11 | 57.84 | 16 |
Source: ESPNcricinfo records (best career bowling average). Careers marked with a dash are still active, so their figures can change.
Sydney Barnes: the untouchable 16.43
Barnes played 27 Tests between 1901 and 1914 and took 189 wickets, with 24 five-wicket hauls and seven ten-wicket matches. His best figures, 9/103, came against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1913. Nobody with 150 or more wickets has come close to his average since.
Jasprit Bumrah: the best of the modern era
Since his Test debut in South Africa in 2018, Bumrah has taken 234 wickets in 52 Tests at 19.79, with a strike rate of 42.86 and 16 five-wicket hauls. His best figures are 6/27 against the West Indies in Kingston in 2019, a match in which he also took a hat-trick. He is the only active bowler with 150 wickets and an average under 20, and the only Indian in the top 20.
The West Indies fast bowlers
Three of the great West Indies quicks sit in the top six: Malcolm Marshall (376 wickets at 20.94, best 7/22), Joel Garner (259 at 20.97) and Curtly Ambrose (405 at 20.99, best 8/45). Australia’s left-arm seamer Alan Davidson (186 at 20.53) completes the group of bowlers averaging under 21.
Active bowlers to watch
- Kagiso Rabada: 343 wickets at 21.97, with the best strike rate in the top 20 (39.43).
- Pat Cummins: 326 wickets at 22.20.
- Josh Hazlewood: 311 wickets at 23.85, just outside the top 20.
- Scott Boland: 87 wickets at 18.44, not yet eligible for a 150-wicket list.
Indian bowlers
Bumrah is far ahead of every other Indian bowler with a substantial career. Axar Patel averages 19.66 but from 57 wickets in 15 Tests, Kuldeep Yadav 23.36 (80 wickets in 19 Tests) and Ravichandran Ashwin 24.00 for his 537 wickets in 106 Tests.
All-time best average with a lower qualification
With a smaller qualification, the record goes back to the 19th century: England’s George Lohmann took 112 wickets in 18 Tests (1886-1896) at 10.75, an average no one has approached.
FAQ
Who has the best bowling average in Test cricket?
Among bowlers with 150 or more wickets, Sydney Barnes (16.43). With a lower qualification, George Lohmann (10.75 from 112 wickets).
What is Jasprit Bumrah’s Test bowling average?
19.79 from 234 wickets in 52 Tests at the time of this update, second only to Barnes among bowlers with 150 wickets.
Which Indian bowler has the best Test average?
Jasprit Bumrah, among Indians with a substantial number of wickets.
