Kagiso Rabada more prolific at 29 years old than Shane Warne at the same age
01/05/2025 10:09 AM
Which Test cricketers took or have taken the most Test wickets before their 30th birthday?
South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada and Shane Warne are among this illustrious list.
Here, we look at the most prolific wicket-takers in Test match cricket before their 30th birthdays.
10. Makhaya Ntini (South Africa)
The South African pace ace reached 308 Test wickets before his 30th birthday. An exemplary athlete in terms of match fitness, Ntini’s haul included four match 10-wicket hauls and 17 innings five-fors.
9. Shane Warne (Australia)
The late Australian leg-spinner was in eighth position on this list before being overtaken by Rabada in early January 2025. Warne took 322 wickets in 72 Tests before turning 30 years old.
8. Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
Rabada was more than 100 days away from his 30th birthday when he surpassed Warne’s tally. At the time of writing, the South Africa pace ace had 324 wickets in 70 Tests.
7. Kapil Dev (India)
One of two Indian players on this list, but the only seamer, Dev took 329 wickets in 95 Tests before his 30th birthday. A lot of these were taken as the national captain, too.
6. Waqar Younis (Pakistan)
The only Pakistan bowler on this list, Younis managed 332 wickets in 74 Tests before he moved into the 30s. He collected a resounding five 10-wicket hauls along the way.
Also read: The 25 bowlers who took a wicket with their first ball in Test cricket
5. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
The best among the three South Africans on this list, Steyn rattled through 332 Test wickets in 65 matches prior to his 30th birthday. This, like for Younis, included five 10-wicket hauls.
4. Ian Botham (England)
Much live Dev, Botham was an all-rounder. Like Dev, too, it was his role with the ball that often stood out more than his role with the bat. Botham secured 343 wickets in 79 Tests before turning 30.
3. Stuart Broad (England)
Statistically Better than fellow England star Botham, Broad played 94 Tests before turning 30 and took 345 wickets in those 94. He was arguably a genuine all-rounder as well.
2. Harbhajan Singh (India)
One of three spinners on this list, the India spinner claimed 355 wickets in 83 Tests before he turned 30 years old. Five match hauls of 10 wickets or more contributed to this significant tally.
1. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
The only Sri Lanka bowler on this list and, to this day, the leading wicket-taker in the history of Test cricket, Muralitharan took 412 of his 800 Test wickets before turning 30 years old. He took the 412 in 73 Test matches.
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