Mitchell Starc enters all-time highest wicket-takers list, surpassing R Ashwin and Chaminda Vaas

Australia's premier pacer Mitchell Starc moved into international cricket's all-time top-twelve wicket-takers on August 23, 2026, going past Ravichandran Ashwin (765 wickets) and Chaminda Vaas (761 wickets) during the second Test against Bangladesh at Mackay.

The left-arm quick finished the match with figures of 10 wickets across both innings, taking his career tally to 771 international wickets in 302 matches at an average of 25.07. He now stands 11th on the all-time list.

Starc collected the Player of the Match award for his ten-wicket effort and was also named Player of the Series, having claimed 12 wickets across four innings at an average of 12.08 in the two-match contest against Bangladesh.

How did Starc's bowling figures shape the second Test at Mackay?

Starc was at his most threatening in Bangladesh's first innings, returning 6/12 in 10 overs. He removed five batters inside the first seven overs, reducing the visitors to 12/5, and four of those five dismissals were ducks. Pat Cummins supported with 3/25 as Bangladesh were bowled out for 64, one of the lowest totals in recent Test history at this venue.

Australia replied with 210 in their first innings, though Shoriful Islam made them work hard, finishing with 7/48 for Bangladesh. Starc then returned in the second innings to add 4/39 to his tally, completing the ten-wicket match haul. Cummins took 3/10, and Nathan Lyon claimed 3/25 as Bangladesh were dismissed for 95, giving Australia the victory. The result levelled the series after Australia had gone down in the opening Test at Darwin, where Bangladesh had won by nine wickets.

Aus vs Ban 2nd Test: Starc's ten-wicket haul levels series

Read More

Aus vs Ban 2nd Test: Starc's ten-wicket haul levels series

Starc's first-innings burst also carried an additional milestone: his performance during that spell moved him past Dale Steyn among the all-time Test wicket-takers, placing him inside the top ten in the format-specific list.

How close is Starc to breaking into the top ten all-time international wicket-takers?

Starc's tally of 771 international wickets leaves him six short of New Zealand's Tim Southee, who has 776. Crossing that mark would move Starc into the top ten across all international formats, a landmark that now appears within reach given his current form.

His career record includes 28 five-wicket hauls and four ten-wicket hauls, with his best international figures of 7/58 still standing. For context, the record for international wickets belongs to Muttiah Muralitharan, who took 1,347 wickets in 495 matches at an average of 22.86, supported by 77 five-wicket hauls and 22 ten-wicket hauls.