Most 10 wicket hauls list: In Test cricket, taking five wickets in an innings is considered a significant achievement for any bowler; however, claiming 10 or more wickets in a match truly demonstrates a bowler's match-winning ability.
Top 5 Bowlers With the Most 10-Wicket Hauls in Test Match History
While there have been many great bowlers in the history of cricket, Sri Lanka's legendary off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan stands at the forefront in this regard. He set a record that no bowler has been able to challenge to this day.
Made history by taking 10 wickets in a match 22 times
Muttiah Muralitharan played 133 Test matches for Sri Lanka between 1992 and 2010, claiming a record 800 wickets. During this period, he achieved the feat of taking five wickets in an innings 67 times and 10 or more wickets in a Test match 22 times. His greatest strength was his ability to single-handedly turn the tide of a match by consistently taking wickets across both innings.
Shane Warne's Test Record
Australian leg-spin legend Shane Warne ranks second on this list. He took 708 wickets in 145 Test matches. Warne claimed five wickets in an innings 37 times, but he achieved the feat of taking 10 wickets in a match on only 10 occasions.
Hadlee and Herath also in the top 5
New Zealand's legendary fast bowler Sir Richard Hadlee took 431 wickets in 86 Test matches and achieved the feat of taking 10 wickets in a match nine times. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Rangana Herath also accomplished this feat nine times, claiming 433 wickets in 93 Test matches.
Ashwin and Kumble Lead the Way for India
Ravichandran Ashwin and Anil Kumble jointly hold the record for taking 10 wickets in a Test match the highest number of times (eight times each) for India. Ashwin has claimed 537 wickets in 106 Test matches, achieving five-wicket hauls in an innings 37 times and 10-wicket match hauls eight times. Meanwhile, Anil Kumble took 619 wickets in 132 Test matches and also holds the record for taking 10 wickets in a Test match on eight occasions. Kumble's most memorable performance came during the Delhi Test against Pakistan in 1999, when he made history by taking all 10 wickets in a single innings. He became only the second bowler in the world to achieve the feat of taking all 10 wickets in a Test innings.
Muralitharan's record remains unbroken
Many legendary bowlers emerged after Muralitharan's retirement, yet none could even come close to his record of taking ten wickets in a match on 22 occasions. That is why this is considered one of the most difficult records in Test cricket.
