Muttiah Muralitharan has picked most Test wickets in career. In 133 Test matches for Sri Lanka, Muralitharan picked 800 Test wickets at an average of 22.72. The off-spinner also holds the record for most five-wickets hauls in Test cricket. He picked 67 fifers in Test cricket. Shane Warne is ranked second on the list with 708 Test wickets for Australia.
Here's a list of bowlers with Most Test wickets in career:
Contents
Most Test wickets
| Player | Span | Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 5 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M Muralitharan (ICC/SL) | 1992-2010 | 133 | 230 | 44039 | 18180 | 800 | 9/51 | 16/220 | 22.72 | 2.47 | 55.0 | 67 | 22 |
| SK Warne (AUS) | 1992-2007 | 145 | 273 | 40705 | 17995 | 708 | 8/71 | 12/128 | 25.41 | 2.65 | 57.4 | 37 | 10 |
| A Kumble (INDIA) | 1990-2008 | 132 | 236 | 40850 | 18355 | 619 | 10/74 | 14/149 | 29.65 | 2.69 | 65.9 | 35 | 8 |
| JM Anderson (ENG) | 2003-2020 | 151 | 282 | 32779 | 15670 | 584 | 7/42 | 11/71 | 26.83 | 2.86 | 56.1 | 28 | 3 |
| GD McGrath (AUS) | 1993-2007 | 124 | 243 | 29248 | 12186 | 563 | 8/24 | 10/27 | 21.64 | 2.49 | 51.9 | 29 | 3 |
| CA Walsh (WI) | 1984-2001 | 132 | 242 | 30019 | 12688 | 519 | 7/37 | 13/55 | 24.44 | 2.53 | 57.8 | 22 | 3 |
| SCJ Broad (ENG) | 2007-2020 | 138 | 254 | 28079 | 13827 | 485 | 8/15 | 11/121 | 28.50 | 2.95 | 57.8 | 17 | 2 |
| DW Steyn (SA) | 2004-2019 | 93 | 171 | 18608 | 10077 | 439 | 7/51 | 11/60 | 22.95 | 3.24 | 42.3 | 26 | 5 |
| N Kapil Dev (INDIA) | 1978-1994 | 131 | 227 | 27740 | 12867 | 434 | 9/83 | 11/146 | 29.64 | 2.78 | 63.9 | 23 | 2 |
| HMRKB Herath (SL) | 1999-2018 | 93 | 170 | 25993 | 12157 | 433 | 9/127 | 14/184 | 28.07 | 2.80 | 60.0 | 34 | 9 |
| Sir RJ Hadlee (NZ) | 1973-1990 | 86 | 150 | 21918 | 9611 | 431 | 9/52 | 15/123 | 22.29 | 2.63 | 50.8 | 36 | 9 |
| SM Pollock (SA) | 1995-2008 | 108 | 202 | 24353 | 9733 | 421 | 7/87 | 10/147 | 23.11 | 2.39 | 57.8 | 16 | 1 |
| Harbhajan Singh (INDIA) | 1998-2015 | 103 | 190 | 28580 | 13537 | 417 | 8/84 | 15/217 | 32.46 | 2.84 | 68.5 | 25 | 5 |
| Wasim Akram (PAK) | 1985-2002 | 104 | 181 | 22627 | 9779 | 414 | 7/119 | 11/110 | 23.62 | 2.59 | 54.6 | 25 | 5 |
| CEL Ambrose (WI) | 1988-2000 | 98 | 179 | 22103 | 8501 | 405 | 8/45 | 11/84 | 20.99 | 2.30 | 54.5 | 22 | 3 |
| M Ntini (SA) | 1998-2009 | 101 | 190 | 20834 | 11242 | 390 | 7/37 | 13/132 | 28.82 | 3.23 | 53.4 | 18 | 4 |
| NM Lyon (AUS) | 2011-2020 | 96 | 184 | 24568 | 12320 | 390 | 8/50 | 13/154 | 31.58 | 3.00 | 62.9 | 18 | 3 |
| IT Botham (ENG) | 1977-1992 | 102 | 168 | 21815 | 10878 | 383 | 8/34 | 13/106 | 28.40 | 2.99 | 56.9 | 27 | 4 |
| MD Marshall (WI) | 1978-1991 | 81 | 151 | 17584 | 7876 | 376 | 7/22 | 11/89 | 20.94 | 2.68 | 46.7 | 22 | 4 |
| Waqar Younis (PAK) | 1989-2003 | 87 | 154 | 16224 | 8788 | 373 | 7/76 | 13/135 | 23.56 | 3.25 | 43.4 | 22 | 5 |
| R Ashwin (INDIA) | 2011-2020 | 71 | 132 | 19586 | 9282 | 365 | 7/59 | 13/140 | 25.43 | 2.84 | 53.6 | 27 | 7 |
| Imran Khan (PAK) | 1971-1992 | 88 | 142 | 19458 | 8258 | 362 | 8/58 | 14/116 | 22.81 | 2.54 | 53.7 | 23 | 6 |
| DL Vettori (ICC/NZ) | 1997-2014 | 113 | 187 | 28814 | 12441 | 362 | 7/87 | 12/149 | 34.36 | 2.59 | 79.5 | 20 | 3 |
| DK Lillee (AUS) | 1971-1984 | 70 | 132 | 18467 | 8493 | 355 | 7/83 | 11/123 | 23.92 | 2.75 | 52.0 | 23 | 7 |
| WPUJC Vaas (SL) | 1994-2009 | 111 | 194 | 23438 | 10501 | 355 | 7/71 | 14/191 | 29.58 | 2.68 | 66.0 | 12 | 2 |
| AA Donald (SA) | 1992-2002 | 72 | 129 | 15519 | 7344 | 330 | 8/71 | 12/139 | 22.25 | 2.83 | 47.0 | 20 | 3 |
| RGD Willis (ENG) | 1971-1984 | 90 | 165 | 17357 | 8190 | 325 | 8/43 | 9/92 | 25.20 | 2.83 | 53.4 | 16 | 0 |
| MG Johnson (AUS) | 2007-2015 | 73 | 140 | 16001 | 8891 | 313 | 8/61 | 12/127 | 28.40 | 3.33 | 51.1 | 12 | 3 |
| Z Khan (INDIA) | 2000-2014 | 92 | 165 | 18785 | 10247 | 311 | 7/87 | 10/149 | 32.94 | 3.27 | 60.4 | 11 | 1 |
| B Lee (AUS) | 1999-2008 | 76 | 150 | 16531 | 9554 | 310 | 5/30 | 9/171 | 30.81 | 3.46 | 53.3 | 10 | 0 |
| M Morkel (SA) | 2006-2018 | 86 | 160 | 16498 | 8550 | 309 | 6/23 | 9/110 | 27.66 | 3.10 | 53.3 | 8 | 0 |
| LR Gibbs (WI) | 1958-1976 | 79 | 148 | 27115 | 8989 | 309 | 8/38 | 11/157 | 29.09 | 1.98 | 87.7 | 18 | 2 |
| FS Trueman (ENG) | 1952-1965 | 67 | 127 | 15178 | 6625 | 307 | 8/31 | 12/119 | 21.57 | 2.61 | 49.4 | 17 | 3 |
| DL Underwood (ENG) | 1966-1982 | 86 | 151 | 21862 | 7674 | 297 | 8/51 | 13/71 | 25.83 | 2.10 | 73.6 | 17 | 6 |
| I Sharma (INDIA) | 2007-2020 | 97 | 175 | 18150 | 9620 | 297 | 7/74 | 10/108 | 32.39 | 3.18 | 61.1 | 11 | 1 |
| JH Kallis (ICC/SA) | 1995-2013 | 166 | 272 | 20232 | 9535 | 292 | 6/54 | 9/92 | 32.65 | 2.82 | 69.2 | 5 | 0 |
| CJ McDermott (AUS) | 1984-1996 | 71 | 124 | 16586 | 8332 | 291 | 8/97 | 11/157 | 28.63 | 3.01 | 56.9 | 14 | 2 |
| TG Southee (NZ) | 2008-2020 | 73 | 136 | 16393 | 8237 | 284 | 7/64 | 10/108 | 29.00 | 3.01 | 57.7 | 10 | 1 |
| TA Boult (NZ) | 2011-2020 | 67 | 127 | 14874 | 7384 | 267 | 6/30 | 10/80 | 27.65 | 2.97 | 55.7 | 8 | 1 |
| BS Bedi (INDIA) | 1966-1979 | 67 | 118 | 21364 | 7637 | 266 | 7/98 | 10/194 | 28.71 | 2.14 | 80.3 | 14 | 1 |
| Danish Kaneria (PAK) | 2000-2010 | 61 | 112 | 17697 | 9082 | 261 | 7/77 | 12/94 | 34.79 | 3.07 | 67.8 | 15 | 2 |
| J Garner (WI) | 1977-1987 | 58 | 111 | 13169 | 5433 | 259 | 6/56 | 9/108 | 20.97 | 2.47 | 50.8 | 7 | 0 |
| JN Gillespie (AUS) | 1996-2006 | 71 | 137 | 14234 | 6770 | 259 | 7/37 | 9/80 | 26.13 | 2.85 | 54.9 | 8 | 0 |
| GP Swann (ENG) | 2008-2013 | 60 | 109 | 15349 | 7642 | 255 | 6/65 | 10/132 | 29.96 | 2.98 | 60.1 | 17 | 3 |
| JB Statham (ENG) | 1951-1965 | 70 | 129 | 16056 | 6261 | 252 | 7/39 | 11/97 | 24.84 | 2.33 | 63.7 | 9 | 1 |
| MA Holding (WI) | 1975-1987 | 60 | 113 | 12680 | 5898 | 249 | 8/92 | 14/149 | 23.68 | 2.79 | 50.9 | 13 | 2 |
| R Benaud (AUS) | 1952-1964 | 63 | 116 | 19108 | 6704 | 248 | 7/72 | 11/105 | 27.03 | 2.10 | 77.0 | 16 | 1 |
| MJ Hoggard (ENG) | 2000-2008 | 67 | 122 | 13909 | 7564 | 248 | 7/61 | 12/205 | 30.50 | 3.26 | 56.0 | 7 | 1 |
| GD McKenzie (AUS) | 1961-1971 | 60 | 113 | 17681 | 7328 | 246 | 8/71 | 10/91 | 29.78 | 2.48 | 71.8 | 16 | 3 |
| MA Starc (AUS) | 2011-2020 | 57 | 109 | 11753 | 6583 | 244 | 6/50 | 11/94 | 26.97 | 3.36 | 48.1 | 13 | 2 |
| BS Chandrasekhar (INDIA) | 1964-1979 | 58 | 97 | 15963 | 7199 | 242 | 8/79 | 12/104 | 29.74 | 2.70 | 65.9 | 16 | 2 |
| AV Bedser (ENG) | 1946-1955 | 51 | 92 | 15918 | 5876 | 236 | 7/44 | 14/99 | 24.89 | 2.21 | 67.4 | 15 | 5 |
| J Srinath (INDIA) | 1991-2002 | 67 | 121 | 15104 | 7196 | 236 | 8/86 | 13/132 | 30.49 | 2.85 | 64.0 | 10 | 1 |
| Abdul Qadir (PAK) | 1977-1990 | 67 | 111 | 17126 | 7742 | 236 | 9/56 | 13/101 | 32.80 | 2.71 | 72.5 | 15 | 5 |
| GS Sobers (WI) | 1954-1974 | 93 | 159 | 21599 | 7999 | 235 | 6/73 | 8/80 | 34.03 | 2.22 | 91.9 | 6 | 0 |
| AR Caddick (ENG) | 1993-2003 | 62 | 105 | 13558 | 6999 | 234 | 7/46 | 10/215 | 29.91 | 3.09 | 57.9 | 13 | 1 |
| CS Martin (NZ) | 2000-2013 | 71 | 126 | 14026 | 7878 | 233 | 6/26 | 11/180 | 33.81 | 3.37 | 60.1 | 10 | 1 |
| D Gough (ENG) | 1994-2003 | 58 | 95 | 11821 | 6503 | 229 | 6/42 | 9/92 | 28.39 | 3.30 | 51.6 | 9 | 0 |
| RR Lindwall (AUS) | 1946-1960 | 61 | 113 | 13650 | 5251 | 228 | 7/38 | 9/70 | 23.03 | 2.30 | 59.8 | 12 | 0 |
| SJ Harmison (ENG/ICC) | 2002-2009 | 63 | 115 | 13375 | 7192 | 226 | 7/12 | 11/76 | 31.82 | 3.22 | 59.1 | 8 | 1 |
| A Flintoff (ENG/ICC) | 1998-2009 | 79 | 137 | 14951 | 7410 | 226 | 5/58 | 8/156 | 32.78 | 2.97 | 66.1 | 3 | 0 |
| VD Philander (SA) | 2011-2020 | 64 | 119 | 11391 | 5000 | 224 | 6/21 | 10/102 | 22.32 | 2.63 | 50.8 | 13 | 2 |
| PM Siddle (AUS) | 2008-2019 | 67 | 126 | 13907 | 6777 | 221 | 6/54 | 9/104 | 30.66 | 2.92 | 62.9 | 8 | 0 |
| CL Cairns (NZ) | 1989-2004 | 62 | 104 | 11698 | 6410 | 218 | 7/27 | 10/100 | 29.40 | 3.28 | 53.6 | 13 | 1 |
| CV Grimmett (AUS) | 1925-1936 | 37 | 67 | 14513 | 5231 | 216 | 7/40 | 14/199 | 24.21 | 2.16 | 67.1 | 21 | 7 |
| HH Streak (ZIM) | 1993-2005 | 65 | 102 | 13559 | 6079 | 216 | 6/73 | 9/72 | 28.14 | 2.69 | 62.7 | 7 | 0 |
| RA Jadeja (INDIA) | 2012-2020 | 49 | 94 | 12912 | 5246 | 213 | 7/48 | 10/154 | 24.62 | 2.43 | 60.6 | 9 | 1 |
| Yasir Shah (PAK) | 2014-2020 | 39 | 73 | 12211 | 6502 | 213 | 8/41 | 14/184 | 30.52 | 3.19 | 57.3 | 16 | 3 |
| MG Hughes (AUS) | 1985-1994 | 53 | 97 | 12285 | 6017 | 212 | 8/87 | 13/217 | 28.38 | 2.93 | 57.9 | 7 | 1 |
| Shakib Al Hasan (BDESH) | 2007-2019 | 56 | 95 | 13020 | 6537 | 210 | 7/36 | 10/124 | 31.12 | 3.01 | 62.0 | 18 | 2 |
| SCG MacGill (AUS) | 1998-2008 | 44 | 85 | 11237 | 6038 | 208 | 8/108 | 12/107 | 29.02 | 3.22 | 54.0 | 12 | 2 |
| Saqlain Mushtaq (PAK) | 1995-2004 | 49 | 86 | 14070 | 6206 | 208 | 8/164 | 10/155 | 29.83 | 2.64 | 67.6 | 13 | 3 |
| N Wagner (NZ) | 2012-2020 | 48 | 90 | 10743 | 5480 | 206 | 7/39 | 9/73 | 26.60 | 3.06 | 52.1 | 9 | 0 |
| AME Roberts (WI) | 1974-1983 | 47 | 90 | 11135 | 5174 | 202 | 7/54 | 12/121 | 25.61 | 2.78 | 55.1 | 11 | 2 |
| JA Snow (ENG) | 1965-1976 | 49 | 93 | 12021 | 5387 | 202 | 7/40 | 10/142 | 26.66 | 2.68 | 59.5 | 8 | 1 |
| JR Thomson (AUS) | 1972-1985 | 51 | 90 | 10535 | 5601 | 200 | 6/46 | 9/105 | 28.00 | 3.18 | 52.6 | 8 | 0 |
(Stat Courtesy: ESPNCricinfo)
Also Read Most Runs in a Calendar Year | Highest Score in an ODI
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) / Most Asked Questions
Q: Who has the most Test wickets?
Ans: Muttiah Muralitharan has taken most Test wickets in career. Muralitharan has picked 800 Test wickets in career.
Q: Who has taken most Test wickets for England?
Ans: James Anderson has taken most Test wickets for England. He has taken 584 Test wickets for England.
Q: Who has taken most Test wickets for India?
Ans: Anil Kumble has taken most Test wickets for India in career. He has picked 619 wickets for India.
Q: Who took most Test wickets in 2018?
Ans: Kagiso Rabada picked most Test wickets in 2018. Rabada picked 52 Test wickets in 2018.
