STAT-ATTACK: Fastest to 400 Test wickets; Dale Steyn second fastest

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South Africa’s ace fast bowler joined the ‘400 Test wickets club’ after he dismissed Bangladesh’s opening batsman Tamim Iqbal on day 1 of the second Test of ongoing Test series between Bangladesh and South Africa, in Bangladesh. Dale Steyn completed the feat in his 80th Test match, the same as the great Sir Richard Hadlee.

Dale Steyn has become the joint-second fastest bowler (in terms of matches). Sri Lanka’s magician Muttiah Muralitharan is the fastest bowler to take 400 wickets. Muralitharan achieved this feat in 72 Tests.

Dale Steyn has become the 13th bowler and 2nd South African to reach the landmark in the history of the game – 9 fast bowlers and 4 spinners.

India has the most representatives with three players in the list, followed by Australia, West Indies and now South Africa with two-a-piece.

Here is the list of fastest bowlers to 400 Test wickets:

Fastest to 400 Test wickets

No BowlerMatchesInningsTime since debutOpposition
1Muttiah Muralitharan (SL)721179 years, 137 daysZimbabwe
2Dale Steyn (SA)80*149*10 years, 225 daysBangladesh
3Sir Richard Hadlee (NZ)8014017 years, 0 daysIndia
4Anil Kumble (IND)8514814 years, 58 daysAustralia
5Glenn McGrath (AUS)871688 years, 341 daysPakistan
6Shane Warne (AUS)921699 years, 233 daysEngland
7Wasim Akram (PAK)9616815 years, 141 daysSri Lanka
8Harbhajan Singh IND)9617513 years, 103 daysWest Indies
9Curtly Ambrose (WI)9717612 years, 137 daysEngland
10Shaun Pollock (SA)10319111 years, 29 daysIndia

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