10 greatest bowlers of all time ft. Shane Warne & Muttiah Muralitharan
There is a reason why the best one-liner in cricket goes as 'Batters win matches, bowlers win tournaments'. While the batters hog the limelight, draw massive crowds, and enjoy peak fan worship, team success often stems from those with the best bowlers and bowling line-up.
A fair evidence of this from an Indian perspective would be looking back at India's Test results when they boasted arguably the best batting line-up in the world with Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, among others. Sure, they won almost all their home matches yet memorable overseas results often evaded them due to lack of versatility, consistency, and depth with the ball.
Fast forward to the past decade and while the batting has dropped a bit, the bowling, especially pace-bowling has gone through the roof, resulting in the side dominating world cricket and consistently winning tough away series.
Cricket's long and cherished history has witnessed several legendary bowlers weave their magic from swing, seam, pace, bounce, spin, and numerous other variations to deceive and intimidate even the best of batters. While some have dominated in one format and struggled in others, a select few have displayed inimitable adaptability over long periods to evolve and succeed in red and white-ball cricket.
Although coming up with all-time lists involves incorporating facts, figures, and accolades, a tinge of subjectivity in the name of context cannot be ignored.
Some of the bowling greats of yesteryear could not work up their tricks in the T20 format yet a projection from their performances in the other two formats should suffice for this particular discussion.
Hence, without further delay, let us rank the ten greatest bowlers of all time and celebrate their incredible achievements.
Yet, before jumping into that, it is only fair we pay homage to several all-format greats that missed the top ten possibly due to a lack of matches, especially in the white-ball formats.
Honorable mentions:
Dennis Lillee, Joel Garner, Courtney Walsh, Chaminda Vaas, Brett Lee, Daniel Vettori, Kapil Dev, Dale Steyn, Allan Donald, and James Anderson.
#10 Richard Hadlee - New Zealand
Arguably the greatest bowler produced by New Zealand, Richard Hadlee takes the final spot of the top-ten all-time bowlers. Playing predominantly in an era of Test cricket, Hadlee boasts incredible numbers in the red-ball format with 431 wickets at an average of 22.29 with 36 five-wicket hauls.
The Canterbury-born cricketer is 13th all-time in Test wickets and his 36 five-wicket hauls are third all-time in that category. Hadlee's Test average of 22.29 is also third all-time for bowlers with at least 400 wickets.
The Kiwi legend also boasts excellent white-ball numbers with 158 wickets at an average of 21.56 and an economy of 3.30 in 115 outings. His ODI bowling average is second all-time among bowlers with at least 150 scalps.
Richard Hadlee's overall international numbers:
201 matches, 589 wickets, 22.10 average, 41 five-wicket hauls
#9 Malcolm Marshall - West Indies
While any one of the famed West Indian pace quartet from the 1970s and 1980s- Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Andy Roberts, and Malcolm Marshall stake claim to be the best, the final name gets the slight edge.
Marshall finished his Test career with 376 wickets at an extraordinary average of 20.94 - best all-time among bowlers with 200 wickets in 81 games. He also picked up at least four wickets in an innings (41 times) in over half of his 81 Tests.
Marshall's ODI numbers are just as impressive with 157 scalps in 136 matches at an average of 26.96 and a miserly economy of 3.53.
Malcolm Marshall's overall international numbers:
217 matches, 533 wickets, 22.71 average, 22 five-wicket hauls
#8 Anil Kumble - India
While some of the impact and away numbers may work against India's champion leg-spinner Anil Kumble, it is hard to ignore his volume of wickets and longevity across the Test and ODI formats.
Kumble is Test cricket's fourth all-time leading wicket-taker with 619 scalps at an average of 29.65 in 132 matches. His 35 five-wicket hauls is fifth all-time and he is also one of only three bowlers in cricket history to bag all ten wickets in a Test innings.
The now-53-year-old was also no slouch in ODIs, finishing with 337 wickets (10th all-time) at an average of 30.89 and an economy of 4.30. Kumble is fourth all-time and third among spinners in overall international wickets with 956 scalps.
Anil Kumble's overall international numbers:
403 matches, 956 wickets, 30.09 average, 37 five-wicket hauls
#7 Curtly Ambrose - West Indies
Ask any batter in the 1990s about the bowler most uncomfortable to face and the answer would almost unanimously be the West Indian pacer Curtly Ambrose. With the ability to relentlessly bowl the ideal length with pace and bounce, Ambrose was also impossible to get away for runs even for the best of batters.
The tall pacer finished with 405 wickets in 98 matches at an average of 20.99 - the best among bowlers with at least 400 wickets. Ambrose's 22 Test five-wicket hauls are also the joint-most for a West Indian bowler, along with Malcolm Marshall and Courtney Walsh.
His ODI numbers are equally stunning with 225 wickets in 176 outings at an average of 24.12 and an economy of 3.48.
While the numbers convey a story about Ambrose, they only tell a small portion of his story as the eye test of batters hopping around and unsure of where their next run would come remains the truest reflection of his legacy.
Curtly Ambrose's overall international numbers:
274 matches, 630 wickets, 22.11 average, 26 five-wicket hauls
#6 Waqar Younis - Pakistan
The master of reverse swinging yorkers, Waqar Younis rounds off the latter five of the top-ten all-time bowlers' list. Renowned for his ability to threaten a batter's head to toe with his wily bouncers to unplayable yorkers, Waqar was a sight to behold at full tilt.
The former Pakistan captain is third all-time in ODI wickets with 416 in 262 matches at an average of 23.84 and an economy of 4.68. Waqar also boasts the most five-wicket hauls in ODIs with 13 and has the second-best strike rate of 30.52 among bowlers with at least 300 wickets.
The champion pacer also has outstanding Test numbers with 373 wickets in 87 games at an average of 23.56 and the second-best strike rate of 43.49 among the top 25 Test wicket-takers.
Waqar Younis' overall international numbers:
349 matches, 789 wickets, 23.70 average, 35 five-wicket hauls
#5 Shaun Pollock - South Africa
Former South African captain Shaun Pollock makes it to the top five of the all-time greatest bowlers list, thanks to his remarkable and unwavering consistency across formats.
Pollock was famous for his miserly spells devoid of any looseners, making batters earn every run of his bowling.
The new ball specialist remains the 8th on the all-time wicket-taking charts in international cricket with 829 scalps. Pollock is among the few bowlers with over 350 wickets in Tests and ODIs.
The Protea legend is sixth all-time in ODI wickets with 393 at a sensational average of 24.50 and an economy of 3.67 in 303 matches. Pollock's Test record is just as phenomenal with 421 wickets at an average of 23.11 in 108 games.
Shaun Pollock's overall international numbers:
423 matches, 829 wickets, 23.73 average, 21 five-wicket hauls
#4 Shane Warne - Australia
The Mount Rushmore of bowlers is almost inarguable starting with the late great Shane Warne at No.4.
The legendary Aussie leg-spinner is second all-time in international wickets with an astonishing 1,001 scalps in 339 matches. Warne has the third most five-wicket hauls across formats with 38 and second most in Tests with 37.
He is Test cricket's second-highest wicket-taker with 708 scalps at an average of 25.41 with 85 innings of four wickets or more in 145 outings. Warne's ODI numbers may not be as extraordinary with 293 wickets at an average of 25.73 and an economy of 4.25 but his performances in World Cups stand out.
The Victorian-born cricketer was the Player of the Match of the 1996 and 1999 ODI World Cup semi-final and the final in 1999. Warne also finished as the joint-leading wicket-taker in the 1999 World Cup in England with 20 scalps. He is also the Ashes leader in wickets with 195, including 11 five-wicket hauls.
Shane Warne's overall international numbers:
339 matches, 1,001 wickets, 25.51 average, 38 five-wicket hauls
#3 Wasim Akram - Pakistan
Arguably the most skillful pacer in cricket history, Wasim Akram comes in at No.3 on the all-time bowler rankings. Famously known as the 'Sultan of Swing', the former Pakistan captain had the white and red ball on a string with his ability to produce conventional and reverse-swing at will.
Akram is the second leading wicket-taker of all-time in ODIs with 502 scalps at an average of 23.52 and an economy of 3.89. With the uncanny knack of picking up wickets at any stage of an innings, the left-arm pacer is often one of the top contenders for bowling highlight reels.
He burst onto the cricketing scene with his game-changing spell of 3/49 against England in the 1992 World Cup final, helping Pakistan to their lone World Cup title in the 50-over format.
The now-58-year-old also enjoyed tremendous success in Tests with 414 wickets at an average of 23.62 in 104 appearances. His 916 international wickets are sixth all-time and the third most among pacers.
Akram's overall international average of 23.57 is the third-best among the 17 bowlers with 700+ wickets.
Wasim Akram's overall international numbers:
460 matches, 916 wickets, 23.57 average, 31 five-wicket hauls
#2 Muttiah Muralitharan - Sri Lanka
The most controversial selection of this ranking has to be having the one and only Muttiah Muralitharan at No.2 instead of the mountaintop.
The Sri Lankan legend is the leading wicket-taker in ODIs and Tests with 534 and 800 scalps, respectively. Muralitharan is also the second-highest wicket-taker in ODI World Cups with 68 scalps at an average of 19.63 and an economy of 3.88 in 40 games.
His overall Test and ODI averages of 22.86 and 23.08 are second all-time among the top ten wicket-takers in each format.
With an unbelievable 77 international five-wicket hauls, Muralitharan is 36 clear of second-place Richard Hadlee. Furthermore, his 1,347 wickets is way ahead of second-place Shane Warne, who has 1,001 scalps.
Muttiah Muralitharan's overall international numbers:
495 matches, 1,347 wickets, 22.86 average, 77 five-wicket hauls
#1 Glenn McGrath -Australia
While Muralitharan owns all the quantitative bowling records, former Australian pacer Glenn McGrath has him beat on the most important impact numbers.
McGrath has 949 international wickets - fifth all-time at a remarkable average of 21.76 with 36 five-wicket hauls. His 21.76 average is the best all-time among bowlers with 500 international scalps.
McGrath is also the all-time leading wicket-taker in ODI World Cup history with 71 at an average of 18.19 - the best among the top three wicket-takers.
Known for his ability to dismiss the opposition's best batters at crucial moments, McGrath has broken Indian and West Indian hearts in the 2003 and 1999 World Cups by dismissing Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara cheaply.
While the champion pacer is seventh all-time in ODI wickets with 381, his average of 22.02 is the best among those with 300 scalps. Likewise in Tests, McGrath finished on 563 scalps and boasted an average of 21.64 - best among bowlers with 500 wickets.
He spearheaded the Australian attack in their hattrick of ODI World Cup triumphs in 1999, 2003, and 2007, further evidence of his clutchness.
Glenn McGrath's overall international numbers:
376 matches, 949 wickets, 21.76 average, 36 five-wicket hauls