A bowler’s career is always full of different challenges, which are totally different from those faced by batters. Bowlers tend to have a shorter career as compared to batsmen. That is why taking 450 wickets in any form of the game is probably one of the rarest things. In ODIs, there are only two bowlers with 450 or more wickets.
On the other hand, in Test cricket, nine bowlers have touched this special landmark. Those players are from Australia (3), India (2), England (2), Sri Lanka (1) and West Indies (1). But in this article, we will cover the fastest of these bowlers to reach the 450-wicket mark in test cricket.
Fastest 450 Wickets in Test History
| Bowler | Vs | Venue | Match Date | Debut | Time | Mts |
| Muthiah Muralidaran (SL) | New Zealand | Kandy | 3 May 2003 | 28 Aug 1992 | 10y 248d | 80 |
| R. Ashwin (IND) | Australia | Nagpur | 9 Feb 2023 | 6 Nov 2011 | 11y 95d | 89 |
| Anil Kumble (IND) | Pakistan | Mohali | 8 Mar 2005 | 9 Aug 1990 | 14y 211d | 93 |
| Glenn McGrath (AUS) | India | Nagpur | 26 Oct 2004 | 12 Nov 1993 | 10y 349d | 100 |
| Shane Warne (AUS) | South Africa | Durban | 15 Mar 2002 | 2 Jan 1992 | 10y 72d | 101 |
| Nathan Lyon (AUS) | West Indies | Adelaide | 8 Dec 2022 | 31 Aug 2011 | 11y 99d | 112 |
| James Anderson (ENG) | Sri Lanka | Chester-le-Street | 27 May 2016 | 22 May 2003 | 13y 5d | 115 |
| Courtney Walsh (WI) | England | Birmingham | 15 Jun 2000 | 9 Nov 1984 | 15y 219d | 118 |
| Stuart Broad (ENG) | Australia | Birmingham | 1 Aug 2019 | 9 Dec 2007 | 11y 235d | 128 |
5. Shane Warne (AUS) – 101 matches
Shane Warne was a different league bowler. He was the first player to reach 700 wickets in the longest format of the game. There has always been a comparison between him and Murali, but Warne bowled in conditions where spinners didn’t have much to exploit. Warne picked up his 450th wicket in his 101st test match. During his career, he took 708 wickets in 145 games, including 37 five-wicket hauls.
4. Glenn McGrath (AUS) – 100 matches
Former Australian pacer Glenn McGrath was the greatest bowler that represented his country across all formats. He was known for a great control of the ball and troubled the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Brain Lara, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Jacques Kallis and other big names. McGrath picked up 450 wickets in his 100th test match. Overall, in his career, he played 124 games and ended with 563 wickets, with a best of 8/24.
3. Anil Kumble (IND) – 93 matches
Anil Kumble was a special bowler who troubled the batters with his different variations. Being a spinner with not much skill at turning the ball can be hard, but Kumble knew his strengths. He picked up 350 wickets in 93 games during his career to become the third-fastest on this list. He ended up with 619 wickets in 132 games, with a best of 10/74 in an inning.
2. R. Ashwin (IND) – 89 matches
India’s premier spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is the second-fastest in this race. Ashwin made his debut in 2010 for India and has been the main spinner in the team since then. He has achieved a lot of success in his entire career and completed 450 wickets in just 89 games. Until now, he has played 92 games and taken 474 wickets, with a best of 7/59.
1. Muthiah Muralidaran (SL) – 80 matches
Muthiah Muralidaran, the fastest to 350 and 400 test wickets, is also the fastest to 450 wickets in test cricket. He was always in the game for his team, and one can always find his name with wickets on the chart. Murali is the only bowler to complete 800 test wickets and take 67 five-wicket hauls, which is way more than the second-ranked bowler’s record. He also took 450 wickets in just 80 games. Interestingly, Murali took only 14 tests to reach 450 from 350 wickets in his career.