Mitchell Starc surpassed South Africa’s Dale Steyn to enter the top 10 of the all-time highest Test wicket-takers list. He achieved the feat during the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay. Starc finished with figures of 6 for 12 on the opening day, taking his tally to 440 wickets. He later added four more wickets in the second innings to finish the match with 10 wickets in total.
Starc still has a long way to go if he wants to become the highest wicket-taker in the format. Muralitharan sits at the top with 800 wickets. Shane Warne is second with 708 wickets. James Anderson is third with 704 wickets.
Anil Kumble is India’s highest wicket-taker with 619 wickets. Stuart Broad retired with 604 wickets. Nathan Lyon currently has 568 wickets. Glenn McGrath took 563 wickets. Ravichandran Ashwin has 537 wickets. Courtney Walsh finished with 519 wickets.
Starc’s performance in the match was crucial in Australia’s win over Bangladesh. His first-ball dismissals have become a trademark of his bowling. The left-arm quick has now become the first bowler in history to take a wicket with the first ball of a Test on four separate occasions.
Mitchell Starc Makes Test History With Four First-Ball Wickets
Mitchell Starc has become the first bowler in history to take a wicket with the first ball of a Test match on four occasions. He achieved the feat in the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay when he dismissed Shadman Islam.
Starc had previously achieved this against Sri Lanka in 2016, England in 2021, and India in 2024. He went past the record he previously shared with West Indies quick Pedro Collins.
His method is simple. He said nothing has changed over 15 years. He just runs in and tries to hit the stumps. He tries to be aggressive and find a swing if it is there.
Starc finished with figures of 6 for 12 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 64. He also took his career Test wicket tally to 441, moving past South Africa’s Dale Steyn into 10th place on the all-time list.
He also now has nine first-ball dismissals in either Test innings, going past James Anderson’s eight. Only Anderson has taken more wickets in the first over of an innings than Starc.
Mitchell Starc Leads Active Fast Bowlers With Four Test Player of the Series Awards
Mitchell Starc’s sensational 10-wicket haul against Bangladesh has added another landmark to his Test career. He now holds the most Player of the Series awards among active fast bowlers. Starc has won the award four times in Test cricket, moving ahead of Jasprit Bumrah, Pat Cummins, Kagiso Rabada, Kemar Roach, and Matt Henry, who all have three.
Starc’s four series awards have come across three countries. He has won two in Australia and one each in England and the West Indies. The latest recognition followed his dominant display in the second Test at Mackay. He took 10 wickets for 51 runs in the match, powering Australia to an innings and 51-run victory over Bangladesh. The result levelled the two-match series 1-1.
Starc was virtually unplayable on the opening day, taking 6 for 12 as Bangladesh collapsed for 64. He added four more wickets in the second innings as the visitors were dismissed for 95. It was his fourth 10-wicket match haul in Tests.
The performance also saw him move past South African pace great Dale Steyn into 10th place on the all-time Test wicket-takers list with 445 wickets.
Muttiah Muralitharan: The Highest Wicket-Taker in Test Cricket History
The highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history is Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka. He is the only bowler to have taken 800 Test wickets.
Muralitharan was a right-arm off-spinner. His career spanned from 1992 to 2010. He played 133 Test matches and took 800 wickets at an average of 22.72. He also took 534 wickets in 350 ODIs.
– Most Test wickets: 800 (all-time record)
– Most ODI wickets: 534 (second-highest overall)
– Best bowling in an innings: 9/51
– Best bowling in a match: 16/220
– 67 five-wicket hauls and 22 ten-wicket hauls
He became only the second bowler to reach 700 Test wickets in 2007. He broke Shane Warne’s record when he took his 709th wicket. On July 22, 2010, in his final Test against India at Galle, he took his 800th wicket on the last ball of his career. He held the top spot in the ICC Test bowling rankings for a record 1,711 days. He was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2016.
His unique action led to controversy. Umpires sometimes called him for throwing. However, after biomechanical research, the ICC concluded that his action was a natural deformity and did not violate the laws of the game. The ICC amended its rules in 2005 to accommodate his action.
FAQs
Q. How many Test wickets does Mitchell Starc have?
A. Starc has 441 Test wickets after the Bangladesh series.
Q. Who is the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket?
A. Muttiah Muralitharan leads the list with 800 wickets.
Q. How many times has Starc taken a first-ball wicket?
A. Starc has taken a first-ball wicket four times.
Q. How many Test wickets did Anil Kumble take?
A. Kumble took 619 Test wickets for India.
Q. When did Muralitharan take his 800th wicket?
A. Muralitharan took his 800th wicket in his final Test in 2010.
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