In the longest form of cricket, every aspect of both the teams is analyzed. And so the word Test comes from the test of endurance, fitness, skill, etc. It is often considered to be the highest standard of the sport and players aspire to be a part of the National Test Squad. However, only few cricketers have managed to perform well at the highest standard of the sport consistently over a period of time.
Of course, wicket taking bowlers are an asset to any team. In the race of taking wickets and better strike rates, let’s have a look at the bowlers who were the fastest to reach the 250 Wicket mark in the sport’s more than century old history.
Also Read: Top 5 Ravichandran Ashwin's moments in 2016
The fastest to reach 250 Test wickets, the only spinner in top 5 is India’s off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Ravichandran Ashwin has been India’s star in many of India’s remarkable series victories. In sub-continent conditions, Ashwin is almost unplayable with unmatched and unimaginable numbers. Though he came in the national team on back of his limited overs performances, Ashwin has taken his skill to just another level and can pick up wickets in Test Matches at any point of time. Ashwin is Indian bowling spearhead and Virat Kohli’s go to man.
Ashwin became the fastest to reach 250 wickets by picking up his 250th wicket in his 45th Test.
Also Read: The way Ashwin is performing, he will find his name among pantheon of great cricketers
2. Dennis Lillee
Dennis Lillee was arguably one of the greatest fast bowlers of his generation. With his great skills and never say die attitude Lillee conquered the cricketing world like only few have done. Together with his bowling partner Jeff Thomson, Lillee became part of one of the most feared bowling attacks in the world.
The Sunday Telegraph summed it up perfectly then
“ Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust, if Thomson don't get ya, Lillee must. ”
Lillee reached the 250 Test Wickets mark in his 48th Test and by the end of his career was the then highest wicket taker in Tests with a 355 test dismissals.
3. Dale Steyn
One of South Africa’s most lethal weapons, Dale Steyn is a familiar name in modern cricket. Steyn dominated the Number 1 bowler Test ranking for a record 263 weeks from 2008 to 2014. Dale averaged an outstanding 16.24 in the 2007-08 season and was named as the ICC Test Cricketer of the year in 2008. Dale is also the only fast bowler in Test Cricket history to take 5 wickets against every other Test playing nation.
Also known as the Steyn Gun, Dale took 49 matches to reach his 250th Test Wicket and hence is number 3 in the list.
4. Allan Donald
South Africa’s “White Lightning” Allan Donald is next in the list. Donald was part of the first test after South Africa’s return to world sport in 1992 following the abolition of apartheid. And since then up till his retirement, Donald was clearly one of the best South African to have ever played the game. When he retired, he was South Africa's record wicket-taker with 330 Test wickets at an average of 22.25.
Donald took his 250th Test wicket in his 50th test match.
5. Waqar Younis
Probably the best displayer of reverse swing at genuinely quick speeds, Pakistan’s Waqar Younis is number 5. Along with Wasim Akram, Younis also formed a formidable pace attack giving batsmen no clue whatsoever, when at their best. Younis has one of the best strike rates in the game. Waqar Younis made his debut in 1989 against India and in the Indian Team he played against a debutant named ‘Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar’. Waqar took 4 wickets in the match, including that of the 16-year-old Tendulkar’s. But he made a mark in world cricket with his pace and bounce.
Younis took 51 Tests to reach the 250 Test wicket mark.
