Bowlers with the Most Five-Wicket Hauls in Both Innings of a Test

Most Times 5-Wicket Hauls in Both Test Innings

Key Insights

Muttiah Muralitharan has recorded the most instances of taking five-wicket hauls in both innings of a Test match. He did so on 11 occasions. Muralitharan also tops the list of bowlers who has picked the most 5-fers in Test cricket.

Sydney Barnes’ six instances are the most among fast bowlers. Five of those instances came against South Africa, the most by a bowler against a single opposition in Tests.

Barnes also holds the record for the most twin five-wicket hauls in a Test series, with three instances on the 1913/14 South Africa tour. He is the only bowler with multiple twin five-wicket hauls against the same opposition across two different series.

Muralitharan took twin fifers in three Tests each against Bangladesh and South Africa, a joint-record with other bowlers. Clarrie Grimmett, Rangana Herath, and Shane Warne are the others with multiple instances against two different Test teams.

Nine of Muralitharan’s 11 instances came in Sri Lanka, the most by a bowler at home. Herath and Ravichandran Ashwin are the only other bowlers with twin five-fors in five or more Tests at home.

In away conditions, Barnes and Richard Hadlee share the top spot. Both bowlers have picked up five-wicket hauls in both innings in four away Tests each.

A total of 13 captains have taken five-wicket hauls in both innings of a Test match at least once. England’s Arthur Gilligan was the first skipper to achieve this feat against South Africa in the 1924 Birmingham Test.

Ian Botham, Imran Khan, and Shakib Al Hasan are the three players to take twin five-fors and score a century in the same Test match.

A total of 12 bowlers have taken twin five-wicket hauls in consecutive Test matches. 10 of them did so against a single opponent.

Read: Most Consecutive 5-Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket