Muttiah Muralitharan Test Wickets Record: Former Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for taking the most wickets in Tests. He took 800 wickets while bowling in 230 innings of 133 Test matches. More than 12 years have passed since Muralitharan retired from Tests. But this record is still registered in his name. Now the question arises whether year 2023 Will Muralitharan’s record for most wickets in Tests be broken? Who are the bowlers who can challenge his record? Let us tell you about this in detail.
Anderson ahead in the race
At present, James Anderson of England is such a bowler who has the ability to reach Muralitharan’s record. It is difficult to say whether he will be able to break Muralitharan’s record or not. Anderson has taken 675 wickets in Tests so far. He is just 126 wickets away from breaking Muralitharan’s record. It is true that James Anderson is in the last stages of his Test career. He may announce his retirement after the Ashes series against Australia this year. Even if he doesn’t retire, he will play for at least one more year. But as we all know that rotation policy is applicable in England team. That’s why it is not possible that he will get a chance to play in all the matches. That’s why Muralitharan’s record doesn’t see any threat from him at the moment.
If we talk about Stuart Broad that he will break Muralitharan’s record, then it is not too fair to say. Because Broad is 36 years old. If he remains very fit, he will play for a maximum of two more years. He is 235 wickets away from Muralitharan’s record. Broad has taken 566 wickets in Tests. In this way, he too will not be able to break Muralitharan’s record. Because they will also have to go through the rotation policy of England. Apart from these two, the rest of the bowlers currently playing Test are far behind in breaking Muralitharan’s record.
Bowlers could not take more than 96 wickets
Statistics show that in the 145-year history of Test cricket, till date no bowler has been able to take more than 96 wickets in a calendar year. In the year 2005, former Australia’s charismatic leg-spinner Shane Warne took 96 wickets in a calendar year. This record is still registered in his name. And in the year 2006, Muralitharan took 90 wickets in a calendar year. Apart from these two bowlers, till date in Test history, no bowler could go beyond taking 85 wickets in a calendar year. That’s why Muralitharan’s record looks safe at the moment.
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