After talking about the batters and celebrating their achievements, it is time to celebrate the bowlers, who are the reason teams win Test matches and tournaments. The bowlers, whether fast bowlers or spinners are the ones the team and the captain go to when they want to get a wicket or a number of wickets. The batters give the advantage to the team, but if the bowlers do not pick wickets, then there is no chance of winning. The bowlers these days have three formats in which to take wickets.
Let’s look at the top 5 active bowlers with the most wickets in international cricket.
1) James Anderson: 987 wickets and counting
James Anderson is number one on this list and by some margin. He is the greatest fast bowler in Test cricket, and he has been playing cricket for over 22 years. He has played in 187 Test matches till now, and he has taken a massive 700 Test wickets for England, making him the first pacer with 700 Test wickets. He has a bowling average of 26.52 in Test cricket. He has taken 32 five-wicket hauls. He has also played in 194 ODI matches and taken 269 wickets in ODI cricket. He has two five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket. Soon, James Anderson will probably be the third bowler to scale the 1000-wicket mark in international cricket.
2) Tim Southee: 758 wickets and counting
The number 2 bowler on this list is also a fast bowler and one of the best that New Zealand cricket has ever seen. He is a true all-format great for New Zealand. For 16 years, he has been serving New Zealand cricket. He has played 100 Test matches for New Zealand, and he has taken 380 wickets in Test cricket at an average of 29.61. He has taken 15 five-wicket hauls in Test cricket. He has played in 161 ODI matches, and he has taken 221 wickets in ODI cricket. In the 123 T20I matches, Southee has picked up 157 wickets, the most T20I wickets by a bowler. He can reach the 800-wicket mark in international cricket. He is also the Leading Wicket Taker In New Zealand Cricket History
3) Ravichandran Ashwin: 744 wickets and counting
Number 3 on this list is one of the greatest off-spinners cricket has ever seen. Ravichandran Ashwin has been a true match-winner for India for over a decade. He has taken 744 international wickets. He has played 100 Test matches and taken 516 Test wickets at an average of 23.75. He has taken 36 five-wicket hauls and eight times 10 wickets in a Test match. He averages more than five wickets per Test match. He has also played in 116 ODIs and picked up 156 wickets. In the 65 T20Is he has played for India, Ashwin has taken 72 wickets. He is the 3rd Indian bowler to reach 700 international wickets. Ashwin can reach 800 international wickets if he plays for two more years.
4) Shakib Al Hasan: 694 wickets and counting
The greatest Bangladeshi cricketer of all time is also number 4 on this list. Shakib Al Hasan has taken 694 wickets in international cricket and counting. He has played in 67 Test matches and taken 237 wickets for Bangladesh. He has taken 19 five-wicket hauls in Test cricket. He has also played in 247 ODIs and has 317 wickets to his name, with four five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket. He has taken 140 wickets in T20I cricket in 117 matches. He has taken two five-wicket hauls in T20I cricket. Shakib Al Hasan can get close to the 750-wicket mark.
5) Mitchell Starc: 668 wickets and counting
The number 5 bowler on this list is Australian left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc. He has been the leading fast bowler for Australia for a decade. Mitchell Starc has played in 89 Test matches for Australia and has 353 wickets to his name with an average of 27.74, including 14 five-wicket hauls. He has 236 wickets in ODI cricket from 121 matches. He has taken nine five-wicket hauls in ODI cricket. He also has 74 wickets in T20I cricket from 60 matches. Mitchell Starc should complete 700 international wickets soon.
