Mitchell Starc has added another major achievement to his already impressive career. The Australian fast bowler has become the most successful left-arm bowler in Test cricket history after moving past Sri Lanka legend Rangana Herath’s tally of 433 wickets.
Starc reached the landmark during the first Test against Bangladesh at the Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin. He dismissed Bangladesh opener Shadman Islam to take his Test wicket tally to 434.
The milestone came in Starc’s 106th Test match. He is now level with former India captain Kapil Dev on 434 wickets and is just five wickets behind South Africa great Dale Steyn, who has 439 Test wickets.
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Starc needs six more wickets to overtake Steyn and move into the top 10 of Test cricket’s highest wicket-takers.
The 36-year-old now sits at the top of the list for most Test wickets by a left-arm bowler. Herath follows him with 433 wickets, while Pakistan legend Wasim Akram is third with 414.
New Zealand great Daniel Vettori has 362 wickets, followed by Sri Lanka’s Chaminda Vaas with 355. India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is next with 348 Test wickets.
Starc had entered the Bangladesh series with 433 wickets and was already within touching distance of Herath’s record. Despite the attention around the milestone, the Australian had made it clear that personal records were not his main focus.
Speaking before the series, Starc said it was humbling to be mentioned alongside some of the game’s greatest bowlers, but added that such achievements were not something he wanted to think too much about while he was still playing.
Starc has also been a key performer for Australia during the current World Test Championship cycle. Before the Bangladesh series, he had picked up 46 wickets in eight Tests. He was particularly effective during Australia’s Ashes series against England, where he claimed 31 wickets.
While Starc enjoyed a memorable moment with the ball, Australia had a difficult start with the bat in Darwin.
After choosing to bat first, Australia were bowled out for just 198. Bangladesh’s bowlers made the most of the conditions, with Hasan Mahmud producing an outstanding career-best spell of 6/55.
Steve Smith was Australia’s top scorer with 71, but none of the other Australian batters could reach 30.
Starc then made an immediate impact with the ball. His dismissal of Shadman Islam gave Australia an early breakthrough and, at the same time, allowed him to create history by moving past Herath as the leading left-arm wicket-taker in Test cricket.