Most 10-Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket

At SportsBoom, we have celebrated their extraordinary achievements and revealed the top five in our carefully curated list. This guide details more information, and there are a few familiar names on here, so check it out.

Most Prolific Bowlers

Before providing a series of mini profiles on the top five Test bowlers who picked up 10-wicket hauls, let’s see who were the most prolific. The following table applies the number of 10-wicket hauls accumulated as well as the economy rate which we think is a good gauge of how effective a bowler was with ball to hand.

Murali Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)

Arguably one of the best off spinners of his generation, Murali Muralitharan blazed a trail in Test cricket, and his return of 800 Test wickets is likely to take some beating.

But the Sri Lankan wizard collected a staggering number of 10-wicket hauls; 22 to be more exact. When in full flow, Murali was unstoppable, and with his cheeky grin, he was a smiling assassin.

While his 800th Test wicket came on the final day of his Test career in Galle against India, Murali’s 10-wicket haul came against nine different Test nations which is incredible.

Shane Warne (Australia)

The late, great Shane Warne was fiercely competitive, and he never gave the batsman a moment’s peace. Although Murali’s tally of 10-wicket hauls more than doubles that of Warne (10), Warne was iconic.

He relished Ashes series, and when was smacked off his bowling for a boundary, Warne redoubled his efforts, and inevitably, he came back stronger with his next delivery.

Warne wound up with 708 wickets, but like Murali, longevity was key as he spent 25 years at the top before retiring in 2007.

Sir Richard Hadlee (New Zealand)

The younger generation might not know who we’re talking about, but Sir Richard Hadlee sprung onto the scene in the mid-1970s.

He became the first bowler to reach the 400 wickets milestone in Test cricket, but he also had a habit of producing special moments in games. Well, in terms of 10-wicket hauls, doing this on nine occasions would suggest so.

One of his great demolition jobs was against Australia where he picked up 15 wickets during the 1985/86 Test series which is still talked about to this day.

If you still want to find out more, type Hadlee into YouTube, kick back, and watch a master at work.

Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)

Coming in at joint-third on the list is Rangana Herath. Essentially, Murali passed on the torch and Herath became Sri Lanka’s main wicket-taker until he retired in 2018.

A left-arm spinner, Herath has used his vast knowledge to good effect, and worked as New Zealand’s spin consultant, giving a unique insight into executing plans playing on the sub-continent.

He might not be the most high-profile name on this list, but he deserves to be included having picked up nine 10-wicket hauls during his career.