Most Test Wickets in 2021

The year 2021 saw some exciting games of Test Cricket. The fans witnessed top-class batting, as well as bowling performances from the teams. The World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand also took place this year.

England played against India at home and away. Joe Root and Co. also played a two-match Test series against New Zealand this year. India are currently playing a two-match Test series against New Zealand, while Pakistan and Bangladesh are taking on each other in a two-match series.

In the ongoing Test match between India and New Zealand, Ajaz Patel wrote his name in the history books after becoming only the third bowler to pick all ten wickets in an innings in Test Cricket. The wicket in Mumbai is helping the spinners and India are dominating the Test at the moment.

If you look at the bowling performances in Test Cricket this year, both spinners and pacers have received great success. To further shed light on that, we have listed four bowlers who have picked the most Test wickets in 2021

Most Test Wickets in 2021: 

1. Ravichandran Ashwin: 50 wickets 

Ravichandran Ashwin didn’t play a single game on India’s Test tour of England earlier this year. However, the Indian spinner is relishing the conditions in the ongoing Test series between India and New Zealand. Once again, he has been the best bowler for India in a home Test series. So far, he has managed to pick 13 wickets in 2 matches at an average of 11.62.

Earlier, when England toured India for four-match Test series, Ashwin picked the most wickets. In 4 matches, he has picked 32 wickets at an average of 14.72. He picked 3 five-wicket hauls during the series. Overall, Ravi Ashwin has managed to pick the most wickets by any bowler in Test Cricket in 2021. Currently, he has 50 Test wickets to his name in 2021.

2. Shaheen Afridi: 44 wickets

This year, Pakistan played a Test series against West Indies, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Bangladesh. Afridi bowled exceptionally well in all the series. On the tour to West Indies, Shaheen Afridi picked 18 wickets in just 2 matches- the most by any bowler in the series. Against South Africa, Afridi picked 7 in 2 Tests and 10 in 2 Tests against Zimbabwe.

Shaheen Afridi has managed to pick the most wickets by any fast bowler in the year 2021. He has played 9 Tests this year, picking as many as 44 wickets at an average of 17.45. In the recently concluded Test between Pakistan and Bangladesh, Shaheen Afridi picked 7 wickets in the match, including a five-wicket haul.

3. Hasan Ali: 39 wickets

Pakistan’s other lethal fast bowler, Hasan Ali has complimented Afridi really well in Test Cricket. He has been amongst the wickets in all the Test series that Pakistan have played this year. Hasan Ali was the highest wicket-taker in the two-match Test series against Zimbabwe. He picked 14 wickets in 2 Tests, including 2 five-wicket hauls.

He was also the highest wicket-taker in the Test series against South Africa, picking 12 wickets in just 2 Tests. Against West Indies, the Pakistan speedster managed 6 wickets in 2 Tests. In the recently concluded Test against Bangladesh, Hasan Ali picked a five-for in the first innings. Overall, Hasan Ali has managed to pick 39 wickets in 8 Tests in 2021.

4. Axar Patel: 36 wickets

Axar Patel is someone who has impressed the most as a newcomer in Test Cricket. He was given the opportunity to make his Test debut in the home Test against England. Patel spun a web around the English batters as he went on to pick 27 wickets in 3 matches at an astonishing average of 10.59.

The recently concluded Test against New Zealand was Axar Patel’s fourth Test of his career. He picked the fifth five-wicket haul, helping India bundle out New Zealand for 296. Axar Patel has picked the fourth-most number of wickets in Test Cricket in 2021. In 5 Tests, he has picked 36 wickets at an average of 11.80.