Stats: Most wickets by a left-arm bowler in Test Cricket

Test cricket is regarded as the most challenging format among all three version of the game. Players need to exhibit their temperament and persistence in order to show consistency and succeed in the format. While batsmen need to grind hard, bowlers also have their task cut out in order to ruffle the feathers of the opposition batsmen.

Left-arm bowlers are renowned for lending class and flair into a lineup. The world witnessed several left-arm bowlers with the passage of time. While there were many who faded into oblivion after promising with the leather, some of them went on to wield their magic and emerged as greats of the game. Here we take an insight into the list of left-armers with most wickets in Test cricket.

The elite list

Rangana Herath has been an exemplary bowler for Sri Lanka in Test cricket who mostly played under the shadow of Muttiah Muralitharan. However, post the retirement of the smiling assassin, the left-arm spinner has pulverised oppositions with his guile and trajectory. He is currently the highest wicket-taker among left-arm bowlers in Test cricket and the only active Test cricketer on the list.

The Sri Lankan is followed by the legendary Wasim Akram, the former Pakistan bowler and the epitome of swing bowling. Daniel Vettori was New Zealand’s most dependable bowler and he holds the third position in the list. The fourth position has another Sri Lankan in the form of Chaminda Vass who has managed to get under the skins of batsmen with his immaculate line and lengths.

Mitchell Johnson was one of Australia’s most fearsome fast-bowlers in Test cricket and the Kangaroo holds the fifth position in the elite list. Zaheer Khan, the Indian left-arm seamer, features as the only Indian in the list of left-arm seamers.

Table: Most wickets by a left-arm bowler in Tests

Stats updated till 10th February 2018