Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc is on the verge of reaching another major milestone in Test cricket, but the left-arm pacer says personal records are not his main focus while he is still playing the game.
With the two-Test series against Bangladesh beginning on August 13, Starc needs just one more wicket to equal former India captain Kapil Dev's tally on the all-time Test wicket-takers' list. Despite being so close to the landmark, the Australian believes improving as a cricketer matters more than chasing numbers.
Starc said he would like to think he has become a better bowler over the last 16 years and added that matching one of the game's greats would be a special moment.
The experienced pacer has taken 433 wickets in 105 Test matches so far, leaving him only one wicket behind Kapil Dev's total of 434. During the Bangladesh series, Starc also has the chance to move ahead of both Kapil Dev and South African great Dale Steyn, who ended his Test career with 439 wickets.
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Starc has been in outstanding form in the current World Test Championship cycle. He leads the wicket-taking charts with 46 wickets from just eight Test matches, highlighting his importance to the Australian bowling attack.
Highest wicket-takers in Tests
| Player | Matches | Balls | Maidens | Wickets | Average | Economy | 4W | 5W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muttiah Muralidaran | 133 | 44039 | 1794 | 800 | 22.72 | 2.47 | 45 | 67 |
| Shane Warne | 145 | 40705 | 1761 | 708 | 25.41 | 2.65 | 48 | 37 |
| James Anderson | 188 | 40037 | 1730 | 704 | 26.45 | 2.79 | 32 | 32 |
| Anil Kumble | 132 | 40850 | 1576 | 619 | 29.65 | 2.69 | 31 | 35 |
| Stuart Broad | 167 | 33698 | 1304 | 604 | 27.68 | 2.97 | 28 | 20 |
| Nathan Lyon | 141 | 34832 | 1100 | 567 | 30.15 | 2.94 | 26 | 24 |
| Glenn McGrath | 124 | 29248 | 1470 | 563 | 21.64 | 2.49 | 28 | 29 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 106 | 27246 | 907 | 537 | 24.00 | 2.83 | 25 | 37 |
| Courtney Walsh | 132 | 30019 | 1144 | 519 | 24.44 | 2.53 | 32 | 22 |
| Dale Steyn | 93 | 18608 | 660 | 439 | 22.95 | 3.24 | 27 | 26 |
| Kapil Dev | 131 | 27740 | 1060 | 434 | 29.64 | 2.78 | 17 | 23 |
| Mitchell Starc | 105 | 20013 | 621 | 433 | 26.51 | 3.44 | 20 | 18 |
Among Australian bowlers, only Shane Warne (708), Nathan Lyon (567) and Glenn McGrath (563) have taken more Test wickets than Starc.
Australia will begin the first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin on August 13. The second and final Test of the series will take place in Mackay on August 22, where Starc will look to add another memorable chapter to his already impressive Test career.