Top 5 bowlers with most wickets in Test Cricket

Test Cricket is the only format where bowlers get value for the efforts they put into their bowling. ODI and T20I cricket is more suitable for batsmen due to the conditions. The red ball helps a bowler more than a white ball does. Red and Pink balls swing and spin more than white ball which makes these balls more bowler-friendly. Here are the Top 5 bowlers who took the most wickets in Test cricket.

5. Glenn McGrath - 563 wickets

Glenn McGrath played for the Australian Cricket team from 1993 to 2007. He played 124 Tests for his country. He made his debut against New Zealand and his last match was against England. He took 563 wickets in 124 Test Matches with a bowling average of 21.64. He has 29 five-wicket hauls to his name. 8 wickets for 24 runs was his best bowling figure in Test cricket. 

4. Anil Kumble - 619 wickets

Kumble is regarded as one of the best spinners in world cricket. He made his debut against England in 1990 and his last Test match was against Australia in 2008. He played 132 Test matches and took 619 wickets in his 18 years of a long career. He has a magnificent record of taking 10 wickets in an innings. He took 10 wickets and gave away 74 runs in a Test match played against Pakistan in the year 1999. Kumble had 35 five-wicket hauls to his name in Test cricket.

3. James Anderson - 640 wickets

James Anderson is one of the best fast bowlers in world cricket. He is one of the few to have mastered the art of swinging the ball both ways. He troubled lots of batsmen with his swing bowling. He took 645 wickets in 170 Test matches he played for England. Anderson's brilliant bowling helped his team many times to snatch the victory from the opposition's hand. He is still cricket playing for his national side. The best bowling figure of this veteran fast bowler is 7 wickets for 42 runs. 

2. Shane Warne - 708 wickets

Shane Warne played his debut match against India in 1992. His last Test match was against England in 2007. He took 708 wickets in 145 Test matches he played. Warne has 37 give wickets haul to his name in Test cricket. Batsmen were found clueless while facing his spin bowling. He also bowled the 'Ball of the century.

1. Muttiah Muralitharan - 800 wickets 

Muralitharan made his Test debut against Australia in 1992 and he played his last Test match against India in 2010. He took 800 wickets in 133 Test matches he played for Sri Lanka and ICC XI. He holds the record of taking most wickets in Test Cricket. He has 67 five wickets haul to his name. His best bowling figures were 9 wickets for 51 runs.