Fastest Bowlers To 300 Test Wickets At Home

India continue their dominance at home as they won the recently concluded 2-match Test Series against New Zealand by a 1-0 margin. New Zealand batters fought well and somehow managed to draw the first Test. However, they couldn’t replicate a similar performance in the second Test and succumbed to a brilliant bowling display from India. Indian bundled out New Zealand on 62 and 167 and won the second Test by a huge margin of 372 runs. This is, in fact, the largest victory (by runs) for India in Test Cricket.

Once again, Ravichandran Ashwin was the standout performer with the ball in a home Test Series. In 2 Tests, he picked 14 wickets at an average of 11.36, including two four-wicket hauls. With that, Ashwin also became the second-fastest bowler to take 300 Test wickets at home.

Much like Ashwin, a lot of other bowlers relish bowling in home conditions. While spinners dominate in the sub-continent, fast bowlers tend to enjoy bowling overseas. Over the years, we have seen world-class bowlers enjoying bowling in home conditions and creating a plethora of records. In this article, we look at six bowlers who are fastest to 300 Test wickets at home.

Fastest Bowlers To 300 Test Wickets At Home

6. Stuart Broad: 76 Tests

English fast bowler, Stuart Broad is a vital cog in England’s bowling line-up in Test Cricket. He is regarded as one of the best fast bowlers of this generation in Test Cricket. Along with James Anderson, Stuart Broad has helped England produce memorable victorious both at home and overseas.

For the unversed, Stuart Broad is currently the third-highest wicket-taker among fast bowlers in Test Cricket. Broad is only the second England bowler to have picked more than 500 wickets in Test Cricket. Currently, he has 524 wickets in Test Cricket in 149 Tests at an average of 27.84.

Besides, Stuart Broad is the sixth fastest to pick 300 Test wickets at home. He achieved the feat in 76 Tests played in England.

5. James Anderson: 71 Tests

England fast bowler, James Anderson is currently 39 years old but still looks as fit as any. Anderson spearheads the England fast bowling unit in Test Cricket. Earlier this year, James Anderson became the first fast bowler to have picked 600 wickets in Test Cricket.

He achieved the feat after dismissing Azhar Ali on the fifth day of the third and final Test between England and Pakistan. He is currently the third-highest wicket-taker, overall, with 632 wickets to his name in 166 Tests at an average of 26.62.

James Anderson has an outstanding record while playing at home in Tests. He is, in fact, the fastest England bowler to pick 300 Test wickets in England. Anderson achieved the feat in 71 Tests.

4. Shane Warne: 65 Tests

Widely regarded as one of the greatest spinners to have ever played the game, Shane Warne sits at fourth in the elite list. Warne was a brilliant leg-spinner who would ball slow and extract a lot of spin from the surface. The Australian made his debut in 1992 and played till 2007. The Australian spinner singlehandedly won Australia a plethora of games across formats.

Warne played an instrumental role for Australia in the Ashes series over the years. He has an exceptional record against England in Test Cricket at home as well as in England. He finished his Test cricket career as the highest wicket-taker in the longest format before Muttiah Muralitharan broke his record. Shane Warne is currently the fourth-fastest bowler to pick 300 Test wickets at home. He achieved the feat in 65 Test matches.

3. Anil Kumble: 52 Tests 

Arguably, India’s biggest match-winner, Anil Kumble sits third in the elite list. Anil Kumble holds the record for picking the most wickets for India in Test Cricket. Overall, he has the fourth-most number of wickets to his name in Test Cricket. In 132 Tests, he picked 619 wickets at an average of 29.6.

He wasn’t known to turn the ball a lot. However, Kumble made great use of the bounce of the surface and bowled with great pace and accuracy. In his illustrious career, he bowled a plethora of sensational spells for India, especially in Test Cricket. He was as effective in home conditions as in overseas.

Currently, Anil Kumble is the third-fastest bowler to have picked 300 wickets at home. He achieved the feat in 52 Tests.

2. Ravichandran Ashwin: 49 Tests 

There aren’t a lot of spinners who have been as effective in home conditions as Ravichandran Ashwin in Test Cricket. Perhaps, there hasn’t been a single occasion when Ashwin hasn’t fared well with the ball in a home Test series.

Ashwin was adjudged the Player of the Series for his brilliant performance in the recently concluded two-match Test series against New Zealand. In 2 Tests, he picked 14 wickets at an average of 11.36. With that, he also became the fastest Indian bowler to pick 300 wickets in Test Cricket. Ashwin achieved the feat in his 49^th home Test.

The Indian spinner currently has 427 wickets in 81 Tests at an average of 24.12.

1. Muttiah Muralitharan: 48 Tests 

Hailed as arguably the greatest spinner ever to play the game, Muttiah Muralitharan sits right at the top of the list. Muttiah Muralitharan is the only bowler in International Cricket to have picked 800 wickets in Test Cricket. He is the highest wicket-taker in Tests with 800 wickets in 133 Tests at an average of 22.72.

Muttiah Muralitharan played one of the biggest roles behind Sri Lanka’s success at home in Test Cricket during the late 90s and early 20s. It was extremely difficult for the batsmen to pick his googlies. There weren’t a lot of batsmen in world cricket who used to play well against the legendary Sri Lankan spinner.

Muttiah Muralitharan has an outstanding record in Test Cricket, especially at home. Out of 800 Test wickets, 493 came up at home only. He is, in fact, the fastest bowler to have picked 300 Test wickets at home. Muralitharan achieved the feat in just 48 Tests.