Top 10 Wicket-Takers For Australia In Tests

image-lqqfdhf6Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins with the 2021-22 Ashes Trophy (x.com)

Australia, a bastion of cricketing excellence, has carved an illustrious path in Test cricket through a rich lineage of pace artisans and spin virtuosos. The nation’s enduring dominance on the international stage owes much to their legacy of extraordinary bowlers.

Whether it was the iconic era of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath that headlined Australia’s dominance in the late 1990s and early 2000s, or the recent reign of Pat Cummins and his contemporaries who have ruthlessly dismantled opponents over the past decade, the legacy persists.

After Cummins breached the 250-wicket landmark through his twin five-fers against Pakistan in the 2023 Boxing Day match, here at OneCricket, we take a look at a revised list of 10 Australian bowlers with the highest number of wickets in Tests.


10 Australian Bowlers with Most Test Wickets:

1. Shane Warne - 708 wickets

Late Shane Warne continues to stand atop the pinnacle of Australian Test cricket with an astonishing tally of 708 wickets, which also marks the second highest collection of Test scalps in the world after Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan. While his cricketing wizardry mesmerized audiences worldwide, he took a special liking to the seam-friendly conditions of England, considering he snared 129 of his victims from just 44 innings in the country. Playing 145 matches for Australia between the years 1992 and 2007, Warne headlined his nation’s unprecedented dominance in world cricket for a better part of his career.

2. Glenn McGrath - 563 wickets

Apart from underscoring Australia’s three World Cup titles, Glenn McGrath also helmed Australia’s pace attack in Test matches for nearly a decade of his playing career with much success. The New South Wales-based legend trapped 563 victims from just 124 matches with his trouble-making pace and sheer accuracy, and remained Test cricket’s highest wicket-taking fast bower until he was usurped by English legends James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

3. Nathan Lyon - 505 wickets

Australian enigma machine Nathan Lyon started out his Test career with a remarkable five-wicket haul in Galle back in September 2011. Once a curator for the Adelaide Oval, little did he knew at the time that he would go on to become Australia’s greatest off-spinner in history. Lyon recently captured his 500th Test wicket with a match-winning spell against Pakistan at Perth in December 2023, and currently sits on an illustrious pile of 505 scalps from 124 matches.

4. Dennis Lillee - 355 wickets

Legendary speedster Dennis Lillee, often considered by many as the “most complete fast bowler”, decimated his opponents at will through a combination of his sheer pace, conventional action and fearsome aura. Starting out in 1971, the cricketer eventually played out his final Test match at the SCG in January 1984 where his eight-fer extended his career tally to a then Australian record of 355 wickets from just 70 Tests.

5. Mitchell Starc - 342 wickets

Back in 2011, pace demon Mitchell Starc silently replaced an aging Brett Lee to become Australia’s newest fast bowling phenomenon. As it turned out, Starc even surpassed Lee’s tally of wickets, considering he currently holds 342 scalps in his Test profile from just 84 matches at an impressive average of 27.53.

The New South Wales-based speedster also boasts of a decorated Test career, one which features numerous Ashes triumphs, famous wins in South Africa and a WTC title of 2021-23.

6. Mitchell Johnson - 313 wickets

Former Australian paceman Mitchell Johnson retired with just 73 Test caps in 2015, but ended up claiming an astonishing haul of 313 wickets. The left-arm speed operator was at his fearsome best during the 2013-14 Ashes against England, where his 37-wicket series collection helped Australia retain the Ashes by a 5-0 margin. The cricketer also starred in Australia’s rare series win in South Africa during the twilight of his career.

7. Brett Lee - 310 wickets

Brett Lee spent a better part of his career by operating as a brutal support for Glenn McGrath. Once the legendary speedster made his exit from the format, Lee helmed his country’s new-ball attack with an all-conquering success. The cricketer snared 310 Test victims throughout his 76-match journey, until injuries curtailed his red-ball career in December 2008. Nonetheless, Lee continues to remain one of Australia’s true Test greats.

8. Craig McDermott - 291 wickets

Petrifying Queenslander Craig McDermott announced himself to the big stage by trapping 30 Englishmen in a space of just six matches in 1985, i.e., within the first year of his Test debut. The right-arm speedster eventually played out his final match in January 1996, where he claimed his 291st and final victim against Sri Lanka, thus bringing an end to a glorious 71-match career for himself.

9. Jason Gillespie - 259 wickets

Legendary Australian paceman Jason Gillespie signified his country’s Test dominance all over the world alongside Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne between 1996 and 2006. The cricketer played 71 Test matches in his career, and secretly harvested 259 wickets in them, letting McGrath and Warne grabbing the big headlines of some famous Australian wins.

10. Pat Cummins - 252 wickets

Making his debut at the age of 18 against a formidable South African line-up back in 2011, Pat Cummins justified his early selection by delivering a knockout blow to the hosts at Johannesburg. The then youngster returned with a sizzling six-fer and even produced match-winning runs with the bat to bring the series to levelling terms.

Cummins eventually found himself among Australia’s first-choice XI a few years down the line, before receiving the command of his country’s Test captaincy. So far, he has collected 252 wickets in his red-ball profile from just 57 matches, and even led Australia to historic wins over England in the 2023 Ashes and against India at the WTC final.