Top 25 Test Fast Bowlers Against Top Teams

All Test Ratings on the website are from 01/01/1950 onwards (Know Why). They are updated till 2026-02-05. Brief explanation of the ratings is given before each section and at the end (Detailed Explanation). Here are the Top 25 Fast bowlers against Top Teams in Test cricket.

CONTENTS

4.1. Against Top Teams

5. ATTACKING

5.1. Against Top Teams

6. BEST BOWLING (WKTS)

6.1. Against Top Teams

7. TOP TEAMS RATING

8. BRIEF EXPLANATION

8.1. Dynamic Nature

8.2. Trend Setter (TS)

8.3. Abbreviations

TT RATING

Points to note about TOP TEAMS Rating:-

An opposition is counted as a TT considering its Win/Loss (WL) Ratios in last 7 years.
Home, Away, In Asia, Outside Asia and Overall WL Ratio is considered.
The WL Ratio should be more than a certain value overall or in specific condition.

THE CRITERIA

The TT Rating is divided into 4 main sections:-

CRITERIA	STAT	POINTS
Prolific	Wickets Taken	300.00
Consistent	Average	250.00
Attacking	Strike Rate	250.00
Best Bowling	Top Bowling Performances	200.00

QUALIFICATION

Min Innings (TT)	20
Min Career Wkts	50

PROLIFIC

The Eras

The time period from 1950 to present is divided into eras for this section. This is because less cricket was played earlier. To make it fair for earlier players they are compared with players of the same period with a slight reduction in points. Know More About Eras.

Era 1	MP before 1976
Era 2	MP between 1975 And 1996
Era 3	MP between 1995 And 2016
Era 4	MP greater than 2015

Criteria: Points For Wickets Taken

RANK	ERA 1	NAT	FP	LP	MP	INNS	WKTS	RAT
TS	GS Sobers	WI	1954	1974	1964	118	171	270.00
1	JA Snow	ENG	1965	1976	1970.5	74	169	266.84
2	GD McKenzie	AUS	1961	1971	1966	76	154	243.16
3	AK Davidson	AUS	1953	1963	1958	61	131	206.84
4	WW Hall	WI	1958	1969	1963.5	66	130	205.26
5	Fazal Mahmood	PAK	1952	1962	1957	44	125	197.37
6	FS Trueman	ENG	1952	1965	1958.5	53	124	195.79

RANK	ERA 2	NAT	FP	LP	MP	INNS	WKTS	RAT
TS	N Kapil Dev	IND	1978	1994	1986	173	361	290.00
1	N Kapil Dev	IND	1978	1994	1986	173	361	290.00
2	CA Walsh	WI	1984	2001	1992.5	140	293	235.37
3	RJ Hadlee	NZ	1973	1990	1981.5	95	279	224.13
4	DK Lillee	AUS	1971	1984	1977.5	91	245	196.81
5	Imran Khan	PAK	1971	1991	1981	85	211	169.50
5	MD Marshall	WI	1978	1991	1984.5	86	211	169.50
7	MA Holding	WI	1975	1987	1981	89	208	167.09
8	CEL Ambrose	WI	1988	2000	1994	92	205	164.68
9	Wasim Akram	PAK	1985	2002	1993.5	71	176	141.39
10	J Garner	WI	1977	1987	1982	72	172	138.17

RANK	ERA 3	NAT	FP	LP	MP	INNS	WKTS	RAT
TS	JM Anderson	ENG	2003	2024	2013.5	237	438	300.00
1	JM Anderson	ENG	2003	2024	2013.5	237	438	300.00
2	SCJ Broad	ENG	2007	2023	2015	204	389	266.44
3	GD McGrath	AUS	1993	2007	2000	163	379	259.59
4	DW Steyn	SA	2004	2019	2011.5	97	232	158.90
5	MG Johnson	AUS	2007	2015	2011	92	210	143.84

RANK	ERA 4	NAT	FP	LP	MP	INNS	WKTS	RAT
TS	MA Starc	AUS	2011	2026	2018.5	142	299	280.00
1	MA Starc	AUS	2011	2026	2018.5	142	299	280.00
2	PJ Cummins	AUS	2011	2025	2018	104	250	234.11
3	K Rabada	SA	2015	2025	2020	88	220	206.02
4	JJ Bumrah	IND	2018	2025	2021.5	83	193	180.74

CONSISTENT

R Ave

Relative Average (R Ave) is a more accurate type of average. Know How It Is Calculated. Briefly it takes into account:-

Strength of Opposition.
Venues at which a player has played.
Time Period in which a bowler has been active

Criteria: Points For Relative Average

Min Qualification For TS
Min Wickets	60

Against Top Teams

RANK	BOWLER	INNS	RUNS	WKTS	AVE	R AVE	RAT
TS	JJ Bumrah	83	4138	193	21.44	20.10	250.00
1	JJ Bumrah	83	4138	193	21.44	20.10	250.00
2	GD McGrath	163	7991	379	21.08	20.34	246.99
3	J Garner	72	3384	172	19.67	20.51	244.93
4	CEL Ambrose	92	4449	205	21.70	20.96	239.76
5	MD Marshall	86	4478	211	21.22	21.40	234.83
6	RJ Hadlee	95	6048	279	21.68	21.78	230.66
7	Wasim Akram	71	3999	176	22.72	21.85	229.99
8	Imran Khan	85	4976	211	23.58	21.88	229.62
9	PJ Cummins	104	5698	250	22.79	22.37	224.60
10	K Rabada	88	5364	220	24.38	22.53	223.01
11	DW Steyn	97	6356	232	27.40	22.55	222.82
12	MA Holding	89	4697	208	22.58	23.22	216.35
13	FS Trueman	53	3125	124	25.20	23.32	215.47
14	DK Lillee	91	5837	245	23.82	23.42	214.54
15	AK Davidson	61	2921	131	22.30	23.76	211.42
16	Fazal Mahmood	44	3103	125	24.82	23.97	209.64
17	MG Johnson	92	6164	210	29.35	24.23	207.32
18	JA Snow	74	4443	169	26.29	24.28	206.97
19	CA Walsh	140	7418	293	25.32	24.45	205.51
20	JM Anderson	237	12709	438	29.02	24.55	204.70
21	SCJ Broad	204	11091	389	28.51	24.66	203.73
22	MA Starc	142	8398	299	28.09	26.38	190.48
23	N Kapil Dev	173	10509	361	29.11	26.75	187.80
24	WW Hall	66	3938	130	30.29	28.73	174.90
25	GD McKenzie	76	5105	154	33.15	29.57	169.93

ATTACKING

R SR

Relative Strike Rate (R SR) for bowlers is calculated using the same method as R Ave with average being replaced with SR.

Criteria: Points For R SR or Balls/Wkt

Min Qualification For TS
Min Wickets	60

Against Top Teams

RANK	BOWLER	INNS	BLS	WKTS	SR	R SR	RAT
TS	M Jansen	28	2507	62	40.44	42.78	250.00
1	K Rabada	88	9468	220	43.04	43.45	246.15
2	DW Steyn	97	11156	232	48.09	44.70	239.28
3	MD Marshall	86	9875	211	46.80	45.21	236.53
4	MA Holding	89	10041	208	48.27	45.25	236.33
5	FS Trueman	53	6791	124	54.77	45.33	235.94
6	J Garner	72	8376	172	48.70	46.53	229.84
7	DK Lillee	91	12996	245	53.04	47.20	226.60
8	RJ Hadlee	95	14192	279	50.87	47.54	224.98
9	WW Hall	66	7703	130	59.25	48.07	222.50
10	JA Snow	74	9663	169	57.18	48.11	222.30
11	MG Johnson	92	11156	210	53.12	48.39	220.99
12	JJ Bumrah	83	8909	193	46.16	48.44	220.77
13	MA Starc	142	14362	299	48.03	49.03	218.11
14	PJ Cummins	104	11609	250	46.44	49.13	217.67
15	Imran Khan	85	11634	211	55.14	49.73	215.04
16	Wasim Akram	71	9010	176	51.19	49.90	214.34
17	GD McGrath	163	19727	379	52.05	50.11	213.42
18	AK Davidson	61	8367	131	63.87	51.97	205.80
19	CEL Ambrose	92	11616	205	56.66	53.52	199.81
20	SCJ Broad	204	22344	389	57.44	55.19	193.78
21	N Kapil Dev	173	22467	361	62.24	56.60	188.95
22	Fazal Mahmood	44	8529	125	68.23	56.92	187.90
23	CA Walsh	140	17747	293	60.57	57.40	186.31
24	JM Anderson	237	27270	438	62.26	58.58	182.55
25	GD McKenzie	76	12188	154	79.14	61.00	175.31

BEST BOWLING (WKTS)

BBW

In this criteria, we have taken the top 7 bowling performances by Wkts of a bowler. Best Bowling By Wickets (BBW) is simply the total wickets taken in the 7 innings divided by 7.

Criteria: Points For Wkts Taken In Top 7 Inns

Against Top Teams

RANK	BOWLER	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	BBW	RAT
TS	N Kapil Dev	9/83	8/85	8/106	7/56	7/220	6/63	6/77	7.29	200.00
1	N Kapil Dev	9/83	8/85	8/106	7/56	7/220	6/63	6/77	7.29	200.00
2	Imran Khan	8/60	7/52	7/80	6/46	6/63	6/90	6/102	6.57	180.39
2	RJ Hadlee	9/52	7/23	6/26	6/50	6/51	6/53	6/57	6.57	180.39
4	Fazal Mahmood	7/42	7/80	6/34	6/34	6/46	6/53	6/66	6.29	172.55
4	GD McGrath	8/24	6/17	6/47	6/50	6/85	6/86	6/115	6.29	172.55
4	SCJ Broad	8/15	6/17	6/25	6/46	6/50	6/54	6/81	6.29	172.55
7	DK Lillee	7/83	7/89	6/26	6/60	6/66	6/171	5/15	6.14	168.63
7	MA Holding	8/92	6/21	6/57	6/62	6/65	6/67	5/17	6.14	168.63
7	MG Johnson	8/61	7/40	7/68	6/38	5/42	5/59	5/63	6.14	168.63
10	MA Starc	7/58	6/48	6/50	6/75	6/111	6/154	5/34	6.00	164.71
11	GD McKenzie	8/71	7/153	6/48	5/33	5/37	5/53	5/65	5.86	160.78
11	JA Snow	7/40	7/49	6/60	6/114	5/57	5/86	5/92	5.86	160.78
13	CEL Ambrose	7/25	6/34	6/51	6/74	5/25	5/35	5/43	5.71	156.86
14	FS Trueman	7/44	6/30	6/100	5/48	5/52	5/58	5/62	5.57	152.94
14	AK Davidson	6/53	6/64	6/75	6/87	5/25	5/42	5/63	5.57	152.94
14	MD Marshall	7/53	6/37	6/85	5/33	5/35	5/38	5/65	5.57	152.94
14	CA Walsh	6/54	6/61	6/79	6/80	5/22	5/39	5/73	5.57	152.94
14	DW Steyn	7/51	6/50	6/100	5/23	5/51	5/54	5/56	5.57	152.94
14	PJ Cummins	6/27	6/28	6/79	6/91	5/28	5/38	5/42	5.57	152.94
14	K Rabada	7/112	6/32	6/54	5/51	5/52	5/59	5/60	5.57	152.94
14	JJ Bumrah	6/33	6/45	6/61	6/76	5/27	5/30	5/42	5.57	152.94
22	Wasim Akram	6/61	6/62	6/91	5/28	5/45	5/49	5/56	5.43	149.02
23	WW Hall	7/69	6/90	5/60	5/63	5/87	4/28	4/39	5.14	141.18
23	JM Anderson	6/47	5/20	5/40	5/43	5/53	5/60	5/62	5.14	141.18
25	J Garner	5/51	5/55	5/56	4/30	4/36	4/38	4/43	4.43	121.57

TOP TEAMS RATING

The TOP TEAMS (TT) Rating is the addition of the points of all the above criteria. The rating is out of 1,000.

RANK	BOWLER	PRO	CON	ATT	BBW	TT RAT
1	GD McGrath	259.59	246.99	213.42	172.55	892.55
2	N Kapil Dev	290.00	187.80	188.95	200.00	866.75
3	RJ Hadlee	224.13	230.66	224.98	180.39	860.16
4	JA Snow	266.84	206.97	222.30	160.78	856.90
5	MA Starc	280.00	190.48	218.11	164.71	853.29
6	SCJ Broad	266.44	203.73	193.78	172.55	836.49
7	PJ Cummins	234.11	224.60	217.67	152.94	829.33
8	JM Anderson	300.00	204.70	182.55	141.18	828.42
9	K Rabada	206.02	223.01	246.15	152.94	828.13
10	DK Lillee	196.81	214.54	226.60	168.63	806.59
11	JJ Bumrah	180.74	250.00	220.77	152.94	804.45
12	FS Trueman	195.79	215.47	235.94	152.94	800.14
13	Imran Khan	169.50	229.62	215.04	180.39	794.56
14	MD Marshall	169.50	234.83	236.53	152.94	793.81
15	MA Holding	167.09	216.35	236.33	168.63	788.40
16	CA Walsh	235.37	205.51	186.31	152.94	780.13
17	AK Davidson	206.84	211.42	205.80	152.94	777.01
18	DW Steyn	158.90	222.82	239.28	152.94	773.94
19	Fazal Mahmood	197.37	209.64	187.90	172.55	767.46
20	CEL Ambrose	164.68	239.76	199.81	156.86	761.11
21	GD McKenzie	243.16	169.93	175.31	160.78	749.18
22	WW Hall	205.26	174.90	222.50	141.18	743.84
23	MG Johnson	143.84	207.32	220.99	168.63	740.78
24	Wasim Akram	141.39	229.99	214.34	149.02	734.73
25	J Garner	138.17	244.93	229.84	121.57	734.51

BRIEF EXPLANATION

Dynamic Nature

Most of our ratings are dynamic, and as new matches are played, the rating of earlier bowlers may change if current bowlers set new benchmarks.

Trend Setter (TS)

TS is the player who does the best in a criteria.
The rating of all other players are calculated taking the TS as the benchmark. Example:-
TS Bowling Ave: 25.00; Player X Ave: 30.00; Section Points: 300.00
TS Points: 300.00 (Max)
Player X Points: TS Ave/Ave X 300 = 25.00/30.00 X 300 = 250.00.
Ratings of all sections are calculated similarly with Ave being replaced by the Criteria Stat.
Know All About the Trend Setter