Most Wickets In International Cricket

Arnav Chopra

Muttiah Muralidaran and Shane Warne (Source: @OfficialSLC/X.com, @TheCricketerMag/X.com)Muttiah Muralidaran and Shane Warne (Source: @OfficialSLC/X.com, @TheCricketerMag/X.com)

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Batters are known to score runs and provide a solid platform to the team, whereas it is always said that bowlers win matches. Moreover, no matter how many runs you score in a Test, you can only win if you pick all 20 wickets. Therefore, without any doubt, bowlers are the backbone of cricket, and without them, winning a game is almost impossible.

In the history of cricket, there have been many superstars who have picked wickets in every condition, with every kind of ball, and against every opposition, that too, under challenging circumstances. Those legends have their name etched in history as one of the finest, with wizardry and craft of the highest quality on display.

From leg-spinners to pacers, let's have a look at the top 5 bowlers with the most wickets in all three formats of the game combined that, includes Test, ODI and T20Is. And guess what, there is an Indian on the list too.

5. Glenn McGrath: 949 Wickets (In 376 Matches)

If there is an art of bowling consistent line and length, then Australia's Glenn McGrath is the Picasso of it. The legendary right-arm pacer was the most feared of all time because he repeatedly bowled in the same channel until the batter lost his patience. 

With an incredible tally of 946 wickets after featuring in 376 international games, McGrath maintained an outstanding economy of 2.93 throughout his career while averaging 21.76 with the ball. Most batters would give their wicket away in search of playing a big shot against him and also when, they tried to defend it back. Moreover, to accompany his tally, he also has 36 fifers to his name.

4. Anil Kumble: 956 Wickets (In 403 Matches)

Unquestionably, the greatest Indian bowler of all time, Anil Kumble or Jumbo, is what he was nicknamed because of his quicker deliveries getting extra bounce. The leg-spinner used to question the opposition batters with balls that would rise on them, as he would make them dance even on the flattest pitches. With his unmatched line and length, Kumble still holds the record for being one of the three bowlers to pick a perfect 10 wickets in an innings in Test cricket.

Looking at his stats, 956 wickets in 403 games does not come easy for anyone, especially when he has bowled with an economy of 3.11 while averaging 30.09. The leggie has also recorded 37 fifers to go along with that.

3. James Anderson: 991 Wickets (In 401 Matches)

Regarded as the Greatest Pacer Of All Time, swing maestro James Anderson was no less than a menace with a red cherry in overcast conditions. On most occasions, the right-arm pacer would rattle the opposition with his accurate deliveries while making the ball talk in the air to deceive the batters.

Anderson has always been deadly consistent, much like McGrath, but with an ability to move the ball both ways, that too, on demand. In his 22-year-long career, the English bowler has bagged a whopping 991 wickets after featuring in 401 matches, where he averages 27.28 and has given away runs at only 3.24.

2. Shane Warne: 1001 Wickets (In 339 Matches)

One of the only two bowlers to bag more than 1,000 wickets on the list is the Late Shane Warne, who features on second position with exactly 1,001 wickets in 339 matches. The leggie would bowl deliveries at times that would be nearly impossible to play, including the "Ball of the Century" to England's Mike Gatting.

Warne's primary skill set was to pick wickets with his leg spin while also employing the googlies and flipper to distract the batters, as the latter won't spin much. The veteran has bowled with an average of 25.51 while also keeping his economy at just 2.98. The Australian wizard, only in Tests, grabbed 708 wickets, as back in the day, he became the first-ever to breach the 700 wickets mark.

1. Muttiah Muralidaran: 1347 Wickets (In 495 Matches)

The most incredible bowler the world has ever seen, Muttiah Muralidaran holds the top rank and will stay there for quite a good part of the next decade, atleast because of the numbers he has set. The leg-spinner has recorded an unbelievable 1,347 wickets in international cricket overall, including his tally of 800 Test wickets.

Murali was phenomenal with the ball, picking wickets on a regular basis for his side, as his deliveries proved to be difficult to read even by the end of his career due to his unorthodox action. During the span of his 495-match career, he has bagged an unbelievable 77 fifers at an impressive economy of 2.92.