Top 10 Players with Most Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket

For a bowler, picking the highest number of wickets single-handedly does boost the confidence of the entire team in many ways. In test cricket, where the match extends for nearly five days, it is more opportunistic for the bowlers to stay at the helm and secure more wickets. However, this may require a whole lot of time. Over the years many bowlers have been able to pick five-wicket hauls in a single inning, showcasing their ability to scalp wickets at regular intervals. Let us look at the top bowlers with the most five-wicket hauls in test cricket.

1. Muttiah Muralitharan  (Sri Lanka)

Former Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan has the record for picking the most five-wicket hauls in test cricket. Muralitharan has picked a total of 67 five-wicket hauls in 133 matches where he has been able to score 800 wickets.

2. Shane Warne (Australia)

The late Shane Warne was also known as the ‘Master of leg-spinners’ in his time. Shane Warne picked a total of 708 wickets from 145 test matches. The former Australian bowler had picked 37 five-wicket hauls in his test career.

3. Richard Hadlee (New Zealand)

Late Sir Richard Hadlee was also one of the finest test cricketers for New Zealand in his time. The Kiwi all-rounder was counted among the best of all time. Hadlee picked 36 five-wicket hauls from 86 matches where he had 431 wickets to his name.

4. Anil Kumble (India)

Considered one of the most successful spinners in the world, Anil Kumble did not take too long to settle and turn the balls whenever he would hit the crease. Kumble has a record of 35 five-wicket hauls to his name which is also the most by any Indian player in test cricket. The right-arm bowler has also picked up 619 wickets from 132 matches.

5. Ravichandran Ashwin (India)

Ravichandran Ashwin is also among the most successful bowlers for India over the years. Ashwin has certainly been an inch ahead in tests as compared to his performance in other formats due to the significant batting abilities that he possesses. Ashwin is only the second bowler from his country to pick the highest number of five-wicket hauls (34) in test cricket from India. Not only this but the right-arm bowler is the only active spinner currently playing in test cricket in the list.

6. Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)

Former Sri Lankan cricketer Rangana Herath had a fabulous run as a test bowler. The test bowler made sure that he was able to maintain the pressure against the batting lineup even when the others found it difficult to. The left-hander also holds the record for clinching the second-highest number of five-wicket hauls in test cricket after Muralitharan. Herath picked a total of 433 wickets in his test career from 93 matches where he had 34 five-wicket hauls to his name.

7. James Anderson (England)

Regarded as the best test bowler of the current era, James Anderson has been able to tick all the boxes of what defines a perfect bowler in test cricket. With unparalleled execution combined with a mesmerizing swing, Anderson had all the qualities that a bowler would dream of.  The right-hander from England has 32 five-wicket hauls in 183 matches where he has picked 690 wickets.

8. Glenn McGrath (Australia)

Glenn McGrath is yet another bowler who would effortlessly unbind precision in his line and length. The former Australian is the only fast bowler from his country to pick the greatest number of five-wicket hauls in the game’s longest format. McGrath has a total of 29 five-wicket hauls in test cricket to his name with 563 wickets from 124 matches.

9. Ian Botham (English)

English all-rounder Ian Botham earned a lot of recognition as a great test bowler of his time. Botham was often regarded for his tantalizing deliveries that would often rattle the batsmen’s nerves. The right-hander was very successful in making a string of 5 wicket-hauls in his career, achieving the feat as high as 27 times in his career. Botham picked 383 wickets from 102 matches in his career.

10. Dale Steyn (South Africa)

Former South African cricketer Dale Steyn had a spell-binding run in all formats including test cricket. The South African pacer was one of the most destroying pacers of his time, picking 439 wickets from 93 matches. The fast bowler had the record for the highest number of five-wicket hauls by a South African in test cricket, performing this stint 26 times.

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