When it comes to the greatest bowlers in cricket history, there is no shortage of names who could be in the conversation. But there are a few bowlers who stand out above the rest & they are the ones who have made the biggest impact on the sport.
These bowlers have changed the way the game is played, and they have left a lasting legacy that will never be forgotten.
These bowlers are listed without any rankings because it is impossible to rank them in any order due to their legacy and accomplishments.
Here is a look at the 10 greatest bowlers of all time in cricket history.
| Sr. No | Bowler's Name | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka |
| 2 | Shane Warne | Australia |
| 3 | Wasim Akram | Pakistan |
| 4 | Glenn McGrath | Australia |
| 5 | Sydney Barnes | England |
| 6 | Richard Hadlee | New Zealand |
| 7 | Malcolm Marshall | West Indies |
| 8 | Joel Garner | West Indies |
| 9 | Anil Kumble | India |
| 10 | Curtly Ambrose | West Indies |
Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan or “Muralidaran” is widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in cricket history. He holds the record for the most Test wickets, with 800, and the most One Day International wickets, with 534.
Muralitharan has been honoured with many awards, including the Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year in 2006 and was inducted in the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
Muralitharan’s achievements are all the more remarkable given that he has achieved them despite being born with a deformity in his right arm. This didn’t stop him from becoming one of the most successful bowlers of all time.
Muralitharan has been a key member of the Sri Lankan cricket team for many years, and his achievements are truly remarkable. He has taken over 1,300 wickets in both Test and ODI cricket, and his bowling average is among the best in the world, 22.72 in test & 23.08 in ODI.
Muralitharan is one of the greatest bowlers in cricket history. His achievements are unparalleled and he is truly a legend of the game.
Shane Warne
Shane Warne was a cricket legend from Australia and one of the greatest bowlers of all time. Warne was selected as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, and was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame too.
“The King of Spin”, was capable of bowling a variety of spin deliveries, including those that drifted into the batsman and those that turned sharply. This helped him take many wickets and made him a very tough bowler for even the greatest batsmen to read.
He was also a very accurate bowler. This, combined with his ability to bowl long spells, meant that he was often able to wear down batsmen and force them into making mistakes.
Shane Warne’s statistics are also very impressive. He has a bowling average of almost 25 in both Test and ODI’s, and he has also taken a five-wicket haul in an innings on 37 occasions.
Warne scalped 708 wickets in 145 test matches & 293 wickets in 194 ODI’s. He is the only player, aside from Muttiah Muralitharan, to have taken over 1000 wickets in test and ODI cricket.
His achievements, bowling talent, career statistics and five-wicket hauls are all impressive, and he is rightfully considered one of the greatest bowlers of all time.
Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram is one of the most successful bowlers in cricket history. “Sultan of Swing”, is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast-bowlers & perhaps the greatest ever left-arm fast bowler.
He is the ranked second in the leading wicket-takers in ODI history, with 502 wickets from 356 matches. He has 414 wickets from 104 test matches. In 1993, he was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year.
Akram’s Bowling Statistics are also very impressive. He has an average of 23.62 in Test matches and 23.52 in ODIs. In his ODI career, he has an economy rate of 3.89.
His bowling was characterized by great control and swing, and he was able to bowl at a high pace. He was also a very effective batsman, and was able to contribute useful runs down the order.
He was a true all-rounder, and his all-round ability made him a key member of Pakistan’s successful cricket teams of the 1980s and 1990s.
Wasim Akram is one of the greatest bowlers of all time because of his achievements, career, and statistics. He is a true cricketing legend, and his place in history is well deserved.
Glenn McGrath
Glenn McGrath is one of the greatest bowlers of all time in cricket history. He has achieved many things in his career, and his statistics are very impressive.
He has played in 124 Test matches and took 563 wickets, with a bowling average of 21.64. In One Day Internationals (ODIs), he has taken 381 wickets in 250 matches, with a bowling average of 22.02.
Glenn McGrath is one of the most successful bowlers of all time, with an amazing career spanning over 14 years. Nicknamed “Pigeon”, he is just a class act. He is a true gentleman of the game and is widely respected by his peers.
McGrath lacked pace but had the solid line and length that any bowler could ever want. He is one of the most accurate bowlers of all time, and his ball discipline is admirable.
Even though he did not had a deadly pace, he is still one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time.
Sydney Barnes
Sydney Barnes is widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time. He played for English National Team & is also the part of ICC Hall of Fame.
Barnes’ Test career spanned from 1901 to 1914 and he played a total of 27 Test matches. He took wickets at an average of 16.43. In his Test career, Barnes took 189 wickets.
In his career, Barnes played for several county sides, as well as the England national team.
Barnes was a supremely talented bowler, with a great control over his line and length. He was able to bowl at a medium speed, and was also a master of Swing bowling. He also bowled off-break & leg-break
deliveries.
Barnes was without a doubt one of the greatest bowlers of his generation, and his accomplishments continue to inspire bowlers today.
Richard Hadlee
Richard Hadlee is a name that is synonymous with greatness in the world of cricket. Hadlee is widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time and his achievements and career statistics are truly staggering.
Hadlee made his Test debut against Pakistan in 1973 and went on to play 86 Test matches for his country. In these matches he took 431 wickets at an average of 22.29. He scalped 158 wickets at an average of 21.56 in 115 ODI’s.
His impact on the game is mesmerizing. He was a trailblazer for New Zealand cricket and inspired a generation of bowlers. He was a true all-rounder who could change the game with both bat and ball.
For starters, he was a very accurate bowler. He had the ability to swing the ball both ways, and he was also adept at bowling bouncers. His bowling was so accurate that he was often able to bowl at the stumps, something that very few bowlers can do.
Hadlee was a very intelligent cricketer. He was always thinking about the game, and he had the ability to make split-second decisions on the field. He was therefore a highly challenging opponent for batters.
There is no doubt that Richard Hadlee was one of the greatest bowlers of all time. His achievements, combined with his natural talent, make him a true cricketing legend.
Malcolm Marshall
Malcolm Marshall is widely considered one of the greatest bowlers of all time in cricket history.
Marshall made his Test debut for the West Indies in 1978 and quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with. He was known for his ability to swing the ball both ways and generate extreme pace.
Marshall’s bowling was characterized by its pace and lethal accuracy. He could bowl at speeds of more than 140 km/h (87 mph), and was a master at bowling deadly bouncers.
During his career, Marshall achieved many notable accomplishments, including being named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1983 and the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.
In his 14-year Test career, he took a staggering 376 wickets at an average of just 20.94. In his 136 ODI matches he took 157 wickets at an average 26.96.
Joel Garner
Joel Garner, the “Big Bird” is considered as one of the greatest bowlers of all time due to his pace & terrifying height.
The 6′ 8″ giant, who at the time was the fastest bowler, was known for his deadly bouncers that were aimed at batters and his pinpoint yorkers that destroyed stumps. He was undoubtedly a batsman’s worst nightmare!
Garner played only 58 test matches in his career taking 259 wickets at an average of 20.97. He was a menace in ODI’s with 146 wickets in 98 matches at an amazing average of 18.84.
Garner was a key member of the West Indies team that dominated world cricket in the 1970s and 1980s. He was a feared bowler who could bowl long spells of accurate, fast bowling.
Garner’s prowess at bowling let him stand out as a role model for younger generations.
Anil Kumble
Anil Kumble is one of the greatest Indian bowlers of all time. He has played 132 Tests and 271 ODIs for India, and has taken 619 and 337 wickets respectively.
He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2005. He was also named Wisden cricketer of the year in 1996.
Kumble’s bowling has been described as “wicket-to-wicket”, ” accurate ” and ” fiercely competitive”. He didn’t spun the ball much but was precisely accurate on the wickets and had a perfect bounce.
Some of his achievements include being the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket for India, and he is also one of the few bowlers to have taken all 10 wickets in a Test match innings.
He is a true legend of the game, and he is definitely one of the greatest bowlers of all time & the greatest Indian bowler ever.
Curtly Ambrose
Curtly Ambrose is one of the most successful bowlers cricket has ever seen. Ambrose was a key member of the West Indies team that dominated world cricket for two decades and is widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time.
Ambrose’s career spanned from 1988 to 2000 playing around 98 test matches and securing 405 wickets at 20.99 average. In ODI’s he played 176 matches while taking around 225 wickets at 24.12 average.
Ambrose was one of the most feared bowlers in world cricket. He also had a reputation for being able to bowl at high speeds with a giant height of 6 feet 7 inches. It was amusing to watch him terrorize the opposing team’s batsmen.
Ambrose’s achievements speak for themselves and there is no doubt that he is one of the greatest bowlers of all time. His place in cricket history is secure and he will always be remembered as one of the game’s greats.
FAQ Section:
1. Who is the greatest bowler in history?
Muttiah Muralitharan is widely recognized as one of the greatest bowlers in cricket history. His record breaking career includes the most Test wickets (800) and the most One Day International wickets (534).
2. Who has taken the most wickets in cricket history?
The record for the most wickets in cricket history is held by Muttiah Muralitharan. He has taken over 1,300 wickets in both Test & ODI cricket, including a record 800 Test wickets & 534 One Day International wickets.
3. Who is the greatest Indian bowler of all time?
Anil Kumble is widely regarded as the greatest Indian bowler of all time. With 619 wickets in Tests & 337 wickets in ODIs, Kumble’s career is marked by numerous achievements.
4. Who is known as Yorker King?
Lasith Malinga is known as Yorker King, known for his ability to deliver deadly yorkers.
5. Who is the greatest fast bowler of all time?
Wasim Akram, also known as the “Sultan of Swing” is widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history. He is particularly noted for being perhaps the greatest ever left-arm fast bowler.
In conclusion, the world of cricket has been graced by numerous exceptional bowlers who have left indelible marks on the sport. This post celebrates ten of the greatest bowlers in cricket history, including legends like Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Wasim Akram & Anil Kumble.
Each of these players has not only achieved remarkable personal milestones but also significantly influenced the game’s evolution. Their unique skills, dedication and passion for cricket have set them apart, making them true icons of the sport.
As we continue to enjoy the game of cricket, the legacies of these extraordinary bowlers will undoubtedly inspire future generations.
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