Mitchell Starc has reached another important milestone in his career. The Australian pacer has surpassed Wasim Akram to become the highest wicket-taking left-arm fast bowler in Test cricket. He achieved this during the second Ashes Test at The Gabba in Brisbane.
Starc now has 415 wickets in 102 matches. He was a step ahead of Akram, who finished with 414 wickets from 104 Tests. The moment capped a long run of consistency and hard work for the left-arm tall.
Starc’s journey has been built on pace, swing and a fearless approach. He spent more than a decade in the Australian attack, even when injuries tested him. His record in pink-ball Tests stands out the most. He has taken more than 80 wickets in daytime matches, with an average of just over 17. Few bowlers have been so dominant under lights.
He had reached 400 wickets in his 100th Test against the West Indies in July 2025. In that match he also produced the fastest five-wicket haul in Test history. It felt like a sign of more records to come.
A brief comparison with Akram shows the respect between eras. Akram still owns the better average and more five-wicket hauls. But Starc has shaped matches in his own way. His bursts with the new ball and his skill in attacking the stumps have kept Australia strong in all circumstances. Many in Australia now see him alongside the country’s great fast bowlers.
The updated list of test pacers at the top of the left arm now reads. Starc 415. Akram 414. Chaminda Vaas 355. Trent Boult 317. Mitchell Johnson 313. Zaheer Khan 311. The numbers show how difficult it is to stay at the top for so long.
Most Test wickets for left-arm pacers
- Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 415
- Wasim Akram (Pakistan) – 414
- Chaminda Vase (Sri Lanka) – 355
- Trent Boult (New Zealand) – 317
- Mitchell Johnson (Australia) – 313
- Zaheer Khan (India) – 311
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