The following key statistics and insights detail the top bowlers and specific records related to the most six-wicket hauls achieved in the history of Test cricket.
Most 6-Wicket Hauls in Tests
| Player | Total Innings | 6-Wicket Hauls | Best Bowling (Innings) | Total Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) | 230 | 30 | 9/51 | 800 |
| Anil Kumble (IND) | 236 | 19 | 10/74 | 619 |
| Shane Warne (AUS) | 273 | 19 | 8/71 | 708 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin (IND) | 200 | 18 | 7/59 | 537 |
| Rangana Herath (SL) | 170 | 18 | 9/127 | 433 |
| Sir Richard Hadlee (NZ) | 150 | 16 | 9/52 | 431 |
| Harbhajan Singh (IND) | 190 | 13 | 8/84 | 417 |
| Imran Khan (PAK) | 142 | 13 | 8/58 | 362 |
| Sydney Barnes (ENG) | 50 | 12 | 9/103 | 189 |
| Stuart Broad (ENG) | 309 | 12 | 8/15 | 604 |
| Nathan Lyon (AUS) | 260 | 11 | 8/50 | 562 |
| Ian Botham (ENG) | 168 | 10 | 8/34 | 383 |
| Clarrie Grimmett (AUS) | 67 | 10 | 7/40 | 216 |
| Glenn McGrath (AUS) | 243 | 10 | 8/24 | 563 |
| Derek Underwood (ENG) | 151 | 10 | 8/51 | 297 |
More Test Career Records
Key Insights on Most Six-Wicket Hauls by a Bowler in Test Cricket
All-Time Leading Six-Wicket Hauls and Bowling Milestones
Muttiah Muralitharan has picked up the most six-wicket hauls in Test history, having bagged 30 of them for Sri Lanka.
Muralitharan also holds the record for the most five-wicket hauls (67) and ten-wicket hauls (22) in Tests.
Shane Warne leads Muralitharan in terms of four-wicket hauls, having taken 48, three more than the Sri Lankan spinner.
Home, Away, and Format-Specific Records
Muralitharan has picked up the most six-wicket hauls at home in Tests, having taken 19 in Sri Lanka.
His other 11 six-fors came outside his home country, making it the most by a bowler in overseas Tests.
Mitchell Starc is the only bowler with multiple six-wicket hauls in pink-ball Tests, with four to his name.
West Indies’ Jermaine Lawson has delivered the best bowling figures for a six-wicket haul in Tests, returning with figures of 6 for 3 against Bangladesh in the third Test of the 2002 Dhaka Test.
See: Overall Best Bowling Figures in Test Cricket
Specific Player and Match Performance Records
Richard Hadlee has taken the most six-wicket hauls among fast bowlers in Tests, with 16 to his name. See which fast bowler tops the wicket-taking list in Tests.
Rangana Herath has bagged the most six-fors among left-arm bowlers, having taken 18 in 170 Test innings. Herath is also the top Test wicket-taker among the lefties.
Shane Warne has taken the most six-wicket hauls against a single team in Tests, delivering eight against England.
Pakistan’s Imran Khan is the only captain to bag more than 5 six-wicket hauls in Tests, with eight to his name. And, see where his career best 8-wicket haul stands among captains’ list of best Test bowling innings.
24 of Muralitharan’s 30 six-fors resulted in wins for Sri Lanka, the most by a bowler in Tests.
Sydney Barnes has the most six-wicket hauls in losing causes in Tests, with five of his 12 ending in defeats for England.
Continental and Annual Bowling Records
Australia’s Nathan Lyon (6) and New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori (5) have taken five or more Test six-fors among non-Asian bowlers in Asia.
Muralitharan and Ravichandran Ashwin share the most six-wicket hauls in a single year in Tests, having picked up six each in 2006 and 2016, respectively.
Muralitharan and Ashwin have picked up the most Test six-fors among Asian bowlers against SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) teams, with 13 each against these four teams combined.
Muralitharan (6) and Imran Khan (5) are the only two Asian bowlers with five or more six-wicket hauls in SENA countries in Tests.
