Mitchell Starc Becomes Leading Left-Arm Bowler in Test Cricket History
Starc Achieves Historic Milestone
File image of veteran Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc(Photo: @Knowledge0610/X)
Darwin, Aug 13: Veteran Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has made history by surpassing Sri Lankan legend Rangana Herath, becoming the most successful left-arm bowler in Test cricket.
This remarkable achievement occurred during the first Test against Bangladesh at Marrara Cricket Ground, where Starc dismissed opener Shadman Islam. This wicket brought his Test tally to 434, placing him ahead of Herath’s previous record of 433 wickets.
Starc reached this milestone in his 106th Test match, further enhancing his illustrious career. He is now tied with former Indian captain Kapil Dev, who also has 434 Test wickets, and is just five wickets shy of South African pace legend Dale Steyn, who ranks 10th on the all-time list with 439 wickets.
To break into the top 10 of Test cricket’s leading wicket-takers, Starc needs to claim six more wickets.
His accomplishment solidifies his position as the top left-arm wicket-taker, with Herath in second place and Pakistan's Wasim Akram following closely with 414 wickets. New Zealand's Daniel Vettori and Sri Lanka's Chaminda Vaas have 362 and 355 wickets, respectively, while India's Ravindra Jadeja ranks sixth among left-arm bowlers with 348 Test wickets.
Entering the Bangladesh series with 433 wickets, Starc had the opportunity to surpass both Kapil Dev and Steyn. However, the 36-year-old emphasized that personal milestones were secondary to Australia’s overall goals.
“It means I’ve played a bit. It is cool and very humbling to be spoken about with those guys. But that stuff doesn’t mean a whole lot while you’re still playing. You don’t get too far ahead,” Starc remarked prior to the series, as reported by ICC.
Starc has been a key player for Australia in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle, having taken 46 wickets in eight Tests, including 31 during Australia’s Ashes triumph over England.
Despite Starc's historic achievement, Australia faced challenges with the bat, being bowled out for just 198 runs after winning the toss and opting to bat first in the opening Test at Darwin.
Bangladesh's fast bowlers capitalized on the conditions, with Hasan Mahmud achieving a career-best 6/55. Steve Smith was the top scorer for Australia with 71 runs, while no other batsman managed to score more than 30.
Starc then provided Australia with an early breakthrough by dismissing Shadman Islam, marking his 434th wicket and surpassing Herath.