Stats: Most wickets by spinners in Tests

Nathan Lyon, Australia’s off spinner, achieved 400th wickets milestone on Day 4 of the first Ashes Test, when he dismissed England batter Dawid Malan. Lyon, who got the feat in his 101st game, became the seventh spinner to reach the landmark. The offie thus became the third-highest wicket-taker for Australia and also the second spinner to scalp 400 Test wickets after Shane Warne.

Speaking of most wickets by spinners in the longest format of the game, Sri Lanka’s legendary spinner MuttiahMuralitharan tops the list with mind-boggling 800 wickets after playing 133 games. On second is another legend from Australia, Shane Warne who accumulated 708 scalps in 145 matches. There was a time when these two absolute greats of the game where going neck-to-neck by terrorising  the batters with their spin bowling. Both dominated the Test format for a certain peiord of time and still their records look untouchable and unbreakable.

Third in the list is India’s ever-consistent spinner Anil Kumble who scalped 619 wickets in 132 Tests. Rangana Herath, who took over the charge from Muralitharan, is fourth with 433 wickets to his name in 93 matches. Herath took the responsibility from Muralitharan perfectly as he became Sri Lanka’s premier spinner after Muttiah’s retirement.

Three Indian spinners in the top 10

On fifth and sixth are Indian spinners R Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh with 427 and 417 wickets in 81 and 103 matches respectively. R Ashwin broke turbanator’s record in the recently concluded home series against New Zealand. Anil Kumble, R Ashwin and Harbhajan Singh all find themselves in the top 10 with all of them achieving over 400 wickets in Test matches.

New Zealand’s ever-reliable bowler Daniel Vettori occupies the eighth spot having achieved 362 wickets in 113 Tests. Though West Indies are known for their fast bowlers, its Lance Gibbs the spinner who also made his name by taking 309 wickets in 79 games he played and he is ninth in the list. The list concludes with England’s Derek Underwood who is the only spinner not reaching 300 wickets landmark as he has 297 scalps in 86 Tests. Nathan Lyon would be looking to surpass Harbhajan Singh and Rangana Herath’s tally and continue taking wickets for Australia in the coming Tests.

Most wickets by spinners in Tests: