In Test cricket, bowlers play a crucial role in a team’s quest to win matches. The bowlers are tasked with running through the opposition twice to get a positive result.
It may seem like an easy job, however, a few bowlers strive under pressure and pull their sides over the ropes. Over the years, some notable bowlers have stepped up to help their team triumph over opponents by picking up wickets in heaps.
In this article, we look at the top 10 bowlers with the most wickets in winning causes in Test cricket.
Most Wickets in Winning Cause in Tests
| Player | Innings | Wickets in Wins | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shane Warne (AUS) | 180 | 510 | 22.47 |
| Muthiah Muralidaran (SL) | 107 | 438 | 16.18 |
| Glenn McGrath (AUS) | 168 | 414 | 19.19 |
| James Anderson (ENG) | 165 | 384 | 19.55 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin (IND) | 121 | 374 | 18.99 |
| Stuart Broad (ENG) | 150 | 330 | 21.10 |
| Nathan Lyon (AUS) | 137 | 322 | 24.32 |
| Dale Steyn (SA) | 94 | 305 | 16.60 |
| Anil Kumble (IND) | 86 | 288 | 18.75 |
| Malcolm Marshall (WI) | 86 | 254 | 16.78 |
Key Insights
Shane Warne holds the record for taking the most wickets in winning causes in Test cricket. 510 of his 708 Test wickets came in victories for Australia.
Moreover, Warne has been part of the most Test wins among the bowlers. He contributed successfully in 92 matches, behind only his fellow teammate, Ricky Ponting (108).
10 for 53 by England’s Jim Laker is the best bowling figure (innings) by a bowler in a Test victory. He became the first bowler to skittle 10 wickets in an innings. Anil Kumble is the only other bowler to take 10 wickets in an innings in a Test win.
Similarly, Laker also has the best Test match figures of 19 for 90, which resulted in a landslide victory for England against Australia.
Richard Hadlee has the best bowling average among the bowlers with 100+ wickets in Test wins. He averaged 13.06, taking 173 wickets in 22 Test matches for New Zealand.
Sri Lanka’s spin maestro Muthiah Muralidaran has the most five-wicket hauls (41) and the most ten-wicket hauls (18) in winning causes in Tests. (Check out Muralidaran’s Test stats here.)
Ravichandran Ashwin is the only other bowler to have 30 or more fifers in wins.
