Pakistan bowler Yasir Shash got the fastest 200 wickets in Test cricket history, managing the feat in just 33 matches. Having played his first Test match in 2014, Shah had reached the magic figure in only 4 years and 42 days.
The only Indian bowler in the top 10 list is Ravichandran Ashwin. The second Indian to achieve this feat is Ravindra Jadeja, who is followed by Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Bhagwath Subramanya Chandrasekhar, Kapil Dev and more. The latest Indian name on this list was Mohammed Shami, who became the third fastest Indian pacer to pick 200 Test wickets.
Fastest 200 wickets in Test cricket: Top 10 list
| Rank | Player | Country | Time | Matches |
| 1 | Yasir Shah | Pakistan | 4 years 42 days | 33 |
| 2 | Clarrie Grimmett | Australia | 10 years 353 days | 36 |
| 3 | Ravichandran Ashwin | India | 4 years 321 days | 37 |
| 4 | Dennis Lillee | Australia | 9 years 3days | 38 |
| 5 | Waqar Younis | Pakistan | 6 years 23 days | 38 |
| 6 | Dale Steyn | South Africa | 5 years 175 days | 39 |
| 7 | Ian Botham | England | 4 years 30 days | 41 |
| 8 | Stuart MacGill | Australia | 9 years 282 days | q |
| 9 | Malcolm Marshall | West Indies | 7 years 82 days | 42 |
| 10 | Shane Warne | Australia | 3 years 340 days | 42 |
Yasir Shah | 200 Test wickets in 33 matches
The leg-break Pakistan bowler broke onto the international scene with thunderous displays and for the first few years, there was no stopping Yasir Shah. Since making his red ball debut in international cricket against Australia, where Shah took 3 wickets, he has 244 Test scalps to his name. However, the first 200 amongst them came the fastest, in 33 matches to be precise. Shah took his 200th scalp during New Zealand’s tour of Pakistan in 2018 with a three-fer in the first innings.
Ravichandran Ashwin | 200 Test wickets in 37 matches
One of India’s all-time best bowlers and a member of the “ICC Team of the decade”, Ravichandran Ashwin made his Test debut in 2011 and he hasn’t looked back since. Barring 2014, where he could only get 10 wickets in the entire year, the off-spinner has never had a bad year. His best years in Test cricket came in 2016 and 2017, where Ashwin scalped a whopping 134 wickets to become the fastest Indian bowler to tally 200 Test wickets. He managed the feat during New Zealand’s tour of India in 2016 where Ashwin took a four-fer. Ashwin has been a mainstay in an extremely competitive Team India squad for more than a decade now, an achievement that speaks for itself.
Dennis Lillee | 200 wickets in Test in 38 matches
The Australian bowling legend debuted in the longest format back in 1971 and quickly cemented a place for the Kangaroos. He played 70 Test matches throughout his cricketing career, taking a whopping 355 wickets in the process. His first 200 wickets, however, came in 38 matches with the right-arm fast bowler achieving the feat in 1980 during England’s tour of Australia. Lilee ran through the entire English batting order to return with numbers of 60/6, to attain the milestone of 200 Test wickets.
Waqar Younis | 200 Test wickets in 38 games
Watching Waqar Younis bowl pretty much explained why cricket was previously a game of fast bowlers. The Pakistan fast bowler was ruthless in his yorker deliveries and formed a formidable partnership with Wasim Akram that made Pakistan a cricketing superpower in the early 1990s. Making his Test debut in 1989, Younis had also taken 38 games to pick 200 wickets. The milestone achievement came against New Zealand in 1995, when Younis scalped the wicket of Dion Nash in the second innings as the Men in Green won by 141 runs.
Dale Steyn | 200 Test wickets in 39 games
The South African bowling attack never looked as lethal as it was when Dale Steyn played for the Proteas. Steyn had made his Test debut in 2004 and quickly caught attention of cricket lovers all across the globe with his sheer pace and aggression. Though injuries plagued his career from time to time, the pacer never really went out of form whenever he played. He ended his career with 439 wickets in 93 Test matches at a strike rate of 42.3. Dale Steyn brought up his 200th wicket tally in pehnomenal style as he took eight wickets against West Indies when South Africa visited them. He was named the Man of the Match.
Shane Warne | 200 wickets in Test cricket in 42 matches
The former Australian leg-spinner is probably the most popular player on this list, given his potential with the ball and whatever he brought to the game. Making his debut in 1992, Warne had essentially given Australia a lethal weapon while touring the subcontinent. His vicious leg spin had left many batsmen dumbfounded with Warne retiring from the red-ball format with 708 wickets in his Test career. Warne picked his 200th Test wicket during Sri Lanka’s tour of Australia when his six-fer helped Australia beat the Lankans by an innings and 36 runs.
FAQs
which bowler has taken the fastest 300 wickets in tesT cricket History?
Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has taken the fastest 300 wickets in Test cricket, achieving it in 54 matches.
Which bowler has taken the fastest 100 wickets in test cricket?
England’s legendary bowler George Lohmann has taken the fastest 100 wickets in Test cricket, reaching the tally in just 16 matches.
who has taken the fastest 400 wickets in test cricket?
Sri Lanka’s Muthiah Muralidaran has taken the fastest 400 wickets in Test cricket, reaching the figures in just 72 matches.
who has taken the fastest 500 wickets in test cricket?
This record is also held by Sri Lanka’s greatest ever bowler Muthiah Muralidaran, who picked 500 wickets in just 87 Test matches.
who has The fastest 200 wickets in test by indian Bowler?
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is the Indian bowler to pick the fastest 200 wickets in Test. He reached it in just 37 matches.
who has taken the fastest 150 wickets in test cricket?
English bowler Sydney Barnes has taken the fastest 150 wickets in Test cricket, achieving it in 24 matches.
who has taken the fastest 450 wickets in test cricket?
Australia’s Shane Warne has taken the fastest 450 wickets in Test cricket, reaching it in 80 matches.
