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In the great contest of Test cricket, it isn't always the bat and the big sound it makes that stands the test of time; it's the music and symphony created by the red ball that tends to define a contest and all that happens in the game's most remarkable and joyous format. At times, critiqued for being dreary but thrilling and enterprising as only it can be, cricket's longest format has unveiled legends and bowlers, specifically speaking, who have made lightwork of several redoubtable batting attacks. This has been true for the past eras where legends reigned supreme and is even right for the contemporary fold of the game where technology assisted interventions have made a distinct mark on the sport.
Having said that, today let's pause for a few months to appreciate the considerable efforts of talents who are on the list of fastest bowlers to reach 400 Test wickets by number of balls.
List of fastest bowlers to reach 400 Test wickets by number of balls:
Dale Steyn (16634 balls)
439 wickets from 93 Tests, and playing for fifteen long years especially in that post-Donald, post-Pollock era where South Africa desperately sought a genuine pacer who could gallantly fight for the team in various conditions, along came Dale Steyn. Not only did he compete, he terrorised well set betters, reduced scoring rates, bowled one hostile spell after another and comfortably numbed some of the best names wielding the cricket bat. What’s more? In taking just 16,634 deliveries to capture his 400th wicket, Dale Steyn didn’t just feature on the list of the fastest bowlers to reach 400 Test wickets by number of balls, he topped it.
Such a huge achiever of the game, and someone so remarkably simple and aloof despite all he achieved in the game’s finest format.
Mitchell Starc (19062 balls)
The man whose name features second on the list of the fastest bowlers to reach 400 Test wickets by number of balls, Starc further exemplified his standing in the sport as a true great of the game where as seen recently, he made a joke out of the West Indies Test side removing 6 of their ten batters by conceding just 9 runs. And that too, from 7.3 overs, as seen in the fourth innings at Sabina Park in Jamaica and that’s about it!
Not only did Mitchell Starc perform well in what was his 100th Test match, he wrecked the West Indies team and went past the 400-wicket mark in a lovely and dominant fashion.
It remains to be seen how the Windies team would recover, if at all they do, from the slump they demonstrated all thanks to Starc’s damaging performance from the red ball.
Sir Richard Hadlee (20300 balls)
Sir Richard Hadlee took over the course of his long and glowing career, 431 wickets from just 86 games and truth be told, his overall Test match tally of 86 Tests is still a remarkable number as a cricketer from so far back then. He was also known for his intense rivalry at the time with Australia’s Dennis Lilee; both veteran cricketers being the same age!
In terms of the milestone number, Sir Hadlee took 20,300 deliveries and hence is one of the fastest bowlers to reach 400 Test wickets by number of balls.
Glenn McGrath (20526 balls)
One of the finest and most disciplined bowlers of all time, Glenn McGrath became, quite frankly, a modern day parable of commitment and consistency, especially in the longest format of the game.
What’s more?
He became one of the bowlers to reach 400 Test wickets by number of balls, taking 20,526 deliveries to be precise in capturing his 400th Test wicket.
At his pomp he could reduce even the best batting line ups to pitiable or modest looking scoreboards. And he enjoyed at his prime great battles with two of the world’s best batters, including - Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar.
Wasim Akram (21200 balls)
Fast, aggressive, always imposing and seldom not competitive, Wasim Akram created magic with swing and could generate movement along with uncanny accuracy even on batter-friendly surfaces. He took just 21,200 deliveries in the game’s longest format to claim his 400th wicket. And his sensational feats with the red ball and the speed of taking wickets ensured that the great Pakistan talent stands ardently on the list of the fastest bowlers to reach 400 Test wickets by number of balls.
Also Read: List of fastest bowlers to reach 400 Test wickets by matches
FAQs
Which bowler took his 400th Test wicket most recently?
Australia's Mitchell Starc went past his 400th Test match wicket and that too, in his 100th Test against West Indies in Jamaica as he wrecked the host side.
Which bowler has taken least amount of time to capture his 400th Test wicket?
Dale Steyn, the cricket legend from South Africa, took 16,634 deliveries only to reach his 400th Test scalp.
