Tests - Top Fast Bowlers In Top Form Away Featured

Top 25 Test Fast Bowlers In Top Form Away From Home

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All Test Ratings on the website are from 01/01/1950 onwards. Our ratings are based on conditions and diverse oppositions. Before the above mentioned date, there were primarily only two teams which dominated cricket. Moreover, matches were of unequal length with some ending in 4 days and some being timeless. Post 1950, West Indies and South Africa grew as test teams. Moreover, Asian teams India and Pakistan started improving after 1950 and became compenent at home at least. Performance in Asia and outside Asia are integral to our overall rating. How the rating works is explained in highlighted sections. So, here are the Top 25 Fast bowlers in their Top Form Away From Home

*Note: All Test Ratings are updated till 2023-01-08

CONTENTS
1. QUALIFICATION
2. PROLIFIC
3. CONSISTENT
3.1. Against All Teams
3.2. Against Top Teams
4. ATTACKING
5. BEST BOWLING (WKTS)
6. BEST BOWLING (AVE)
7. RATING
8. TOP TEAMS IN ASIA
9. TOP TEAMS OUTSIDE ASIA
TOP FORM – AWAY Rating

This rating only include stats of Fast bowlers in their Top Form Away From Home. The rating is divided into sections to make it easy to understand how it is calculated. Before each section, its criteria is highlighted in bold. Our ratings are dynamic, and as new matches are played, the rating of earlier bowlers may change if current bowlers set new benchmarks. Top Form is calculated by taking the best 30 consecutive innings of a bowler such that his overall points are maximum.

The Trend Setter

The Trend Setter (TS) is the player which does the best in a criteria. The rating of all other players are calculated as percentage points of TS. Let’s taken an example to understand it:-

  • Let’s assume that Glenn McGrath has taken 500 wkts, which is the highest. This makes him the TS.
  • Another player, say Jason Gillespie, has taken 250 wkts.
  • If the rating is out of 250, McGrath will get the full points (pts), that is 250.
  • The points of Gillespie are calculated as His Wkts/McGrath’s Wkts*250. This comes out to be 125.
  • Thus the formula is (Wkts Taken/Wkts Taken By TS)*Max Points.
  • All ratings are calculated similarly with Wkts being replaced by the Criteria Stat.
  • Obviously, for average the formula is reverased as the lower average is better for a bowler.
  • For Average and Strike Rate, a bowler is eligible to be TS only if he has taken a minimum number of wickets, which are mentioned in the qualificaton.
  • Lastly, it is to be noted that it is not necessary for a TS to be part of the rating as he might have topped in a criteria but not done well in others.

QUALIFICATION

Min Innings 20
Min Wickets (TS AVE SR) 50
Min Wickets v/s Top Teams (TS AVE) 25

PROLIFIC

Criteria: Points For Wickets Taken

RANK BOWLER NAT FP LP INNS WKTS RAT
TS RJ Hadlee NZ 1984-03-16 1988-11-24 30 117 250.00
1 RJ Hadlee NZ 1984-03-16 1988-11-24 30 117 250.00
2 Wasim Akram PAK 1988-04-22 1994-08-26 30 96 205.13
3 MD Marshall WI 1984-07-12 1988-07-21 30 95 202.99
4 IT Botham ENG 1978-02-10 1981-11-27 30 94 200.85
5 DW Steyn SA 2007-10-01 2010-06-26 30 90 192.31
5 Waqar Younis PAK 1992-07-23 1996-07-25 30 90 192.31
7 Mohammad Asif PAK 2005-01-02 2010-07-29 30 89 190.17
8 AME Roberts WI 1974-11-22 1976-07-08 30 87 185.90
9 AA Donald SA 1995-03-04 2000-02-24 30 85 181.62
10 MA Holding WI 1980-07-24 1984-11-09 30 84 179.49
10 CA Walsh WI 1996-11-29 2000-08-31 30 84 179.49
12 Zaheer Khan IND 2007-05-25 2011-12-26 30 82 175.21
12 CEL Ambrose WI 1990-11-15 1995-02-10 30 82 175.21
12 Imran Khan PAK 1981-12-11 1988-04-14 30 82 175.21
15 GD McGrath AUS 2000-03-31 2002-10-19 30 81 173.08
16 AK Davidson AUS 1957-12-23 1961-07-06 30 79 168.80
17 ARC Fraser ENG 1990-02-24 1998-02-13 30 76 162.39
18 WW Hall WI 1958-11-28 1963-06-20 30 75 160.26
18 Shoaib Akhtar PAK 1998-03-14 2007-11-22 30 75 160.26
20 J Garner WI 1980-01-26 1984-06-14 30 74 158.12
21 JJ Bumrah IND 2018-01-05 2020-12-26 30 73 155.98
22 MA Starc AUS 2013-08-01 2018-03-01 30 71 151.71
23 SM Pollock SA 1998-08-06 2001-09-07 30 69 147.44
24 BR Taylor NZ 1965-03-12 1972-04-20 30 66 141.03
25 I Sharma IND 2016-08-18 2021-08-12 30 62 132.48
C Ave

The Comparative Average (C Ave) for bowlers is calculated by taken into account two factors:-

  • First is the average of batsmen in the decades the bowler played.
  • Second is the average of the opposition batsmen at Home, in Asia or outside Asia; whichever is applicable.
  • The average of the opposing team’s batsmen is also calculated by decades.
  • Higher C Ave suggest that more runs were scored by the batsmen in the above mentioned factors.
  • Thus it was difficult to get Wkts and the bowler will benefit from this.
  • Lower C Ave means the opposite.
R Ave

The Relative Average (R Ave) is calculated using the C Ave. Its formula is (Bowler Ave/C Ave)*A Constant Factor. This constant doesn’t affect the rating as it is the same for everone. If your C Ave is comparatively high, your R Ave will be low; which is better for bowlers. Broadly speaking, the following bowlers will benefit from this system:-

  • Bowlers who have played more in unfavourable conditions.
  • Asian fast bowlers and Non-Asian spin bowlers whereever applicable.
  • Bowlers who have played in an era where the batsmen dominated, like the 2000s
  • Bowlers who have played more against top opposition than weaker teams.
Top Teams (TT)

The R Ave Rating is divided into two parts:-

  • One is Overall which gives points for the overall R Ave.
  • The second part is Against Top Teams, which gives points for R Ave against top teams.
  • Win/Loss Ratio is used to determine top teams.
  • The top teams are calculated by decades.
  • Further, they are divided into In Asia and Outside Asia.
  • To be a top team, the team should be among the top teams in the specific condition (Asia or outside Asia) or among the top teams of the decade overall.
  • A bowler’s performace is counted in TT if he palyed against it in the specific condition and in the specific decade.
  • The Top Teams may be found in the last section of the rating.

CONSISTENT

Criteria: Points For Relative Average

Against All Teams

RANK BOWLER INNS RUNS WKTS AVE C AVE R AVE RAT
TS GD McGrath 30 1290 81 15.93 32.27 15.79 150.00
1 GD McGrath 30 1290 81 15.93 32.27 15.79 150.00
2 Mohammad Asif 30 1761 89 19.79 36.63 17.29 137.05
3 MD Marshall 30 1548 95 16.29 30.07 17.34 136.62
4 RJ Hadlee 30 1968 117 16.82 30.25 17.79 133.16
5 SM Pollock 30 1281 69 18.57 32.82 18.10 130.87
6 I Sharma 30 1218 62 19.65 34.70 18.11 130.78
7 J Garner 30 1263 74 17.07 29.63 18.43 128.52
8 AK Davidson 30 1341 79 16.97 29.39 18.48 128.19
9 CEL Ambrose 30 1464 82 17.85 30.71 18.60 127.36
10 JJ Bumrah 30 1445 73 19.79 33.81 18.73 126.47
11 AA Donald 30 1586 85 18.66 31.18 19.15 123.73
12 Wasim Akram 30 1858 96 19.35 30.86 20.07 118.06
13 MA Holding 30 1599 84 19.04 29.75 20.48 115.70
14 CA Walsh 30 1733 84 20.63 31.48 20.97 112.96
15 AME Roberts 30 1742 87 20.02 30.37 21.10 112.28
16 Shoaib Akhtar 30 1703 75 22.71 34.29 21.19 111.80
17 Imran Khan 30 1687 82 20.57 31.03 21.21 111.68
18 Waqar Younis 30 1885 90 20.94 31.55 21.24 111.52
19 DW Steyn 30 1957 90 21.74 32.24 21.59 109.75
20 IT Botham 30 1953 94 20.78 30.32 21.93 108.03
21 Zaheer Khan 30 2027 82 24.72 35.93 22.01 107.62
22 BR Taylor 30 1437 66 21.77 30.66 22.72 104.26
23 ARC Fraser 30 1681 76 22.12 30.97 22.86 103.65
24 WW Hall 30 1681 75 22.41 31.01 23.13 102.44
25 MA Starc 30 1621 71 22.83 30.52 23.94 98.96

Against Top Teams

RANK BOWLER INNS RUNS WKTS AVE C AVE R AVE RAT
TS GD McGrath 30 1290 81 15.93 32.27 15.79 150.00
1 GD McGrath 30 1290 81 15.93 32.27 15.79 150.00
2 SM Pollock 11 484 28 17.29 32.82 16.86 140.55
3 Mohammad Asif 30 1761 89 19.79 36.63 17.29 137.05
4 MD Marshall 30 1548 95 16.29 30.07 17.34 136.62
5 Imran Khan 17 1025 59 17.37 31.03 17.91 132.26
6 J Garner 30 1263 74 17.07 29.63 18.43 128.52
7 AK Davidson 30 1341 79 16.97 29.39 18.48 128.19
8 CEL Ambrose 25 1341 75 17.88 30.71 18.63 127.18
9 MA Holding 19 936 54 17.33 29.75 18.64 127.07
10 CA Walsh 27 1507 81 18.60 31.48 18.91 125.26
11 RJ Hadlee 23 1553 85 18.27 30.25 19.32 122.60
12 I Sharma 25 1076 50 21.52 34.70 19.84 119.39
13 AA Donald 22 1280 66 19.39 31.18 19.90 119.04
14 Shoaib Akhtar 20 1210 55 22.00 34.29 20.53 115.39
15 JJ Bumrah 26 1325 60 22.08 33.81 20.90 113.36
16 AME Roberts 30 1742 87 20.02 30.37 21.10 112.28
17 Waqar Younis 16 1035 48 21.56 31.55 21.87 108.32
18 BR Taylor 30 1437 66 21.77 30.66 22.72 104.26
19 ARC Fraser 30 1681 76 22.12 30.97 22.86 103.65
20 WW Hall 30 1681 75 22.41 31.01 23.13 102.44
21 Zaheer Khan 24 1646 60 27.43 35.93 24.43 96.97
22 DW Steyn 21 1509 61 24.74 32.24 24.56 96.47
23 Wasim Akram 19 1211 51 23.75 30.86 24.62 96.23
24 MA Starc 26 1461 61 23.95 30.52 25.11 94.33
25 IT Botham 21 1430 57 25.09 30.32 26.48 89.46
C SR And R SR

The Comparative Strike Rate (C SR) and Relative Strike Rate (R SR) for bowlers is calculated using the same method as in C Ave and R Ave with average replaced with SR. Points to note are:-

  • Bowlers from the earlier era benefit from R SR.
  • This is because more balls were taken to get a Wkt back then as batsmen had better defensive technique.
  • Rest of the factors are the same as in R Ave

ATTACKING

Criteria: Points For R SR or Relative Balls/Wkt

RANK BOWLER INNS BLS WKTS SR C SR R SR RAT
TS Waqar Younis 30 3388 90 37.64 63.58 38.48 250.00
1 Waqar Younis 30 3388 90 37.64 63.58 38.48 250.00
2 Shoaib Akhtar 30 2964 75 39.52 66.32 38.74 248.37
3 Mohammad Asif 30 3615 89 40.62 67.04 39.38 244.28
4 DW Steyn 30 3380 90 37.56 61.04 39.99 240.57
5 RJ Hadlee 30 4776 117 40.82 64.84 40.92 235.12
6 MA Holding 30 3416 84 40.67 64.37 41.07 234.29
7 MD Marshall 30 3905 95 41.11 63.43 42.12 228.42
8 WW Hall 30 3627 75 48.36 74.34 42.29 227.52
9 GD McGrath 30 3350 81 41.36 63.54 42.31 227.39
10 MA Starc 30 2754 71 38.79 58.92 42.79 224.83
11 Zaheer Khan 30 3656 82 44.59 67.23 43.11 223.19
12 BR Taylor 30 3155 66 47.80 71.64 43.37 221.83
13 AME Roberts 30 3877 87 44.56 66.74 43.40 221.68
14 AA Donald 30 3732 85 43.91 64.34 44.36 216.89
15 I Sharma 30 2798 62 45.13 65.13 45.04 213.62
16 Wasim Akram 30 4234 96 44.10 63.38 45.23 212.70
17 JJ Bumrah 30 3231 73 44.26 63.03 45.65 210.77
18 CA Walsh 30 3965 84 47.20 64.81 47.34 203.22
19 Imran Khan 30 3922 82 47.83 65.60 47.39 203.02
20 IT Botham 30 4481 94 47.67 64.91 47.74 201.54
21 J Garner 30 3688 74 49.84 63.81 50.77 189.51
22 CEL Ambrose 30 4126 82 50.32 64.04 51.07 188.40
23 AK Davidson 30 4700 79 59.49 74.99 51.57 186.57
24 ARC Fraser 30 4009 76 52.75 64.73 52.97 181.63
25 SM Pollock 30 3800 69 55.07 63.69 56.20 171.18
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.

BEST BOWLING (WKTS)

Criteria: Points For Wkts Taken In Top 7 Inns

RANK BOWLER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BBW RAT
TS RJ Hadlee 9/52 6/49 6/71 6/80 6/80 6/90 5/29 6.29 100.00
1 RJ Hadlee 9/52 6/49 6/71 6/80 6/80 6/90 5/29 6.29 100.00
2 ARC Fraser 8/53 8/75 6/82 5/28 5/40 5/73 4/40 5.86 93.18
2 MD Marshall 7/22 7/53 6/32 6/69 5/33 5/35 5/38 5.86 93.18
4 AME Roberts 7/54 7/64 6/37 5/50 5/57 5/60 5/63 5.71 90.91
4 Imran Khan 7/40 7/52 7/80 6/129 5/49 4/38 4/41 5.71 90.91
4 Wasim Akram 7/119 6/43 6/62 6/67 5/43 5/45 5/98 5.71 90.91
7 AA Donald 8/71 6/59 6/88 5/32 5/71 5/109 4/37 5.57 88.64
7 IT Botham 7/48 6/58 6/78 5/61 5/73 5/98 5/109 5.57 88.64
9 CEL Ambrose 7/25 6/52 6/74 5/35 5/66 5/74 4/46 5.43 86.36
10 MA Holding 6/21 6/62 5/43 5/45 5/64 5/72 5/102 5.29 84.09
10 AK Davidson 7/93 6/34 5/31 5/38 5/42 5/63 4/42 5.29 84.09
10 Mohammad Asif 6/41 6/44 5/27 5/67 5/76 5/77 5/89 5.29 84.09
10 Waqar Younis 6/34 6/78 5/22 5/52 5/85 5/104 5/117 5.29 84.09
10 CA Walsh 6/74 6/80 5/36 5/74 5/78 5/98 5/143 5.29 84.09
15 MA Starc 6/50 6/111 5/34 5/44 5/63 5/114 4/28 5.14 81.82
15 DW Steyn 7/51 5/23 5/29 5/56 5/67 5/87 4/48 5.14 81.82
17 GD McGrath 7/76 5/21 5/43 5/49 5/54 4/18 4/41 5.00 79.55
18 Zaheer Khan 7/87 5/34 5/65 5/75 4/59 4/77 4/79 4.86 77.27
18 JJ Bumrah 6/27 6/33 5/7 5/54 5/85 4/56 3/39 4.86 77.27
18 Shoaib Akhtar 6/30 5/21 5/48 5/99 5/109 4/36 4/47 4.86 77.27
21 WW Hall 6/50 5/63 5/76 5/87 4/28 4/49 4/51 4.71 75.00
22 J Garner 6/56 5/55 5/56 4/30 4/36 4/36 4/38 4.57 72.73
23 BR Taylor 7/74 5/26 5/41 4/41 4/47 3/26 3/30 4.43 70.45
23 SM Pollock 5/28 5/33 5/53 4/24 4/32 4/34 4/66 4.43 70.45
25 I Sharma 5/43 5/51 5/68 4/41 3/31 3/46 3/48 4.00 63.64
BBA

In this criteria, we have taken the top 7 bowling performances by Average of a bowler. Best Bowling By Average (BBA) is simply the average of the bowler in the 7 Inns. Only 3+ Wkt performaces are counted in this criteria.

BEST BOWLING (AVE)

Criteria: Points For Average In Top 7 Inns

RANK BOWLER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 BBA RAT
TS MD Marshall 7/22 6/32 5/33 5/35 7/53 5/38 3/31 6.42 100.00
1 MD Marshall 7/22 6/32 5/33 5/35 7/53 5/38 3/31 6.42 100.00
2 GD McGrath 5/21 4/18 3/18 3/19 5/43 3/28 5/49 7.00 91.73
3 SM Pollock 5/28 4/24 5/33 3/23 4/32 4/34 5/53 7.57 84.86
4 Waqar Younis 5/22 3/15 6/34 4/23 5/52 4/46 3/37 7.63 84.12
5 AK Davidson 6/34 5/31 3/22 5/38 5/42 4/42 4/44 7.91 81.21
6 JJ Bumrah 5/7 6/27 6/33 5/54 3/39 3/39 4/56 7.97 80.58
7 DW Steyn 5/23 5/29 7/51 3/27 5/56 3/35 3/36 8.29 77.45
8 Mohammad Asif 5/27 6/41 6/44 3/30 4/40 4/41 4/43 8.31 77.25
9 MA Holding 6/21 4/30 5/43 5/45 3/29 6/62 3/37 8.34 76.96
10 AME Roberts 6/37 3/22 7/54 3/24 7/64 5/50 5/57 8.56 75.05
11 ARC Fraser 5/28 8/53 5/40 8/75 4/40 3/33 4/49 8.59 74.71
12 Imran Khan 7/40 3/20 7/52 4/38 5/49 4/41 7/80 8.65 74.24
13 CEL Ambrose 7/25 3/14 5/35 6/52 4/46 6/74 5/66 8.67 74.09
14 Shoaib Akhtar 5/21 6/30 4/36 5/48 4/47 4/48 3/43 8.81 72.91
15 BR Taylor 5/26 5/41 3/26 3/30 4/41 7/74 3/35 9.10 70.56
16 J Garner 4/30 3/24 4/36 4/36 6/56 4/38 5/55 9.17 70.05
17 Wasim Akram 6/43 4/32 5/43 5/45 3/30 6/62 6/67 9.20 69.79
18 RJ Hadlee 9/52 5/29 6/49 4/39 6/71 5/65 5/65 9.25 69.42
19 IT Botham 7/48 4/29 6/58 4/42 5/61 3/38 6/78 10.11 63.48
20 AA Donald 5/32 8/71 4/37 6/59 3/32 3/42 5/71 10.12 63.46
21 WW Hall 4/28 6/50 3/31 3/35 4/49 5/63 4/51 10.59 60.65
22 MA Starc 5/34 4/28 6/50 5/44 3/34 5/63 6/111 10.71 59.98
23 CA Walsh 5/36 3/22 4/43 6/74 4/50 4/51 6/80 11.13 57.72
24 I Sharma 5/43 5/51 4/41 3/31 5/68 3/46 3/48 11.71 54.81
25 Zaheer Khan 5/34 3/32 3/36 7/87 5/65 4/59 5/75 12.13 52.96
TF AW Rating

The TOP FORM – AWAY (TF AW) Rating is the addition of the points of all the above criteria. The rating is out of 1,000.

RATING

RANK BOWLER PRO CON CON TT ATT BBW BBA TF AW RAT
1 RJ Hadlee 250.00 133.16 122.60 235.12 100.00 69.42 910.29
2 MD Marshall 202.99 136.62 136.62 228.42 93.18 100.00 897.83
3 GD McGrath 173.08 150.00 150.00 227.39 79.55 91.73 871.74
4 Mohammad Asif 190.17 137.05 137.05 244.28 84.09 77.25 869.88
5 Waqar Younis 192.31 111.52 108.32 250.00 84.09 84.12 830.36
6 MA Holding 179.49 115.70 127.07 234.29 84.09 76.96 817.59
7 DW Steyn 192.31 109.75 96.47 240.57 81.82 77.45 798.37
8 AME Roberts 185.90 112.28 112.28 221.68 90.91 75.05 798.10
9 AA Donald 181.62 123.73 119.04 216.89 88.64 63.46 793.39
10 Wasim Akram 205.13 118.06 96.23 212.70 90.91 69.79 792.83
11 Imran Khan 175.21 111.68 132.26 203.02 90.91 74.24 787.32
12 Shoaib Akhtar 160.26 111.80 115.39 248.37 77.27 72.91 786.01
13 CEL Ambrose 175.21 127.36 127.18 188.40 86.36 74.09 778.60
14 AK Davidson 168.80 128.19 128.19 186.57 84.09 81.21 777.05
15 JJ Bumrah 155.98 126.47 113.36 210.77 77.27 80.58 764.44
16 CA Walsh 179.49 112.96 125.26 203.22 84.09 57.72 762.73
17 IT Botham 200.85 108.03 89.46 201.54 88.64 63.48 752.00
18 J Garner 158.12 128.52 128.52 189.51 72.73 70.05 747.45
19 SM Pollock 147.44 130.87 140.55 171.18 70.45 84.86 745.35
20 Zaheer Khan 175.21 107.62 96.97 223.19 77.27 52.96 733.23
21 WW Hall 160.26 102.44 102.44 227.52 75.00 60.65 728.31
22 ARC Fraser 162.39 103.65 103.65 181.63 93.18 74.71 719.22
23 I Sharma 132.48 130.78 119.39 213.62 63.64 54.81 714.72
24 BR Taylor 141.03 104.26 104.26 221.83 70.45 70.56 712.39
25 MA Starc 151.71 98.96 94.33 224.83 81.82 59.98 711.63

TOP TEAMS IN ASIA

DECADE OF MAT 1 2 3 4 5 6
1950s AUS WI PAK IND ENG
1960s WI AUS PAK IND ENG SA
1970s PAK ENG IND WI SA AUS
1980s PAK WI ENG NZ AUS
1990s IND PAK SA AUS WI
2000s AUS SL IND PAK SA ENG
2010s IND PAK SL ENG SA AUS
2020s IND AUS ENG PAK NZ

TOP TEAMS OUTSIDE ASIA

DECADE OF MAT 1 2 3 4 5 6
1950s AUS ENG WI SA PAK
1960s ENG AUS WI SA NZ
1970s SA ENG WI AUS IND
1980s WI NZ AUS ENG PAK
1990s AUS SA WI PAK ENG
2000s AUS SA ENG IND NZ
2010s SA AUS ENG NZ IND
2020s AUS NZ ENG SA IND

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