All Test Stats on the website are from 01/01/1950 onwards (Know Why). They are updated till 2026-02-05. In this criteria, we have taken the top 7 bowling performances by Average of a bowler. Best Bowling By Average (BBA) is simply the Relative Average of the bowler in the 7 Inns. Only 3+ Wkt performaces are counted in this criteria.
QUALIFICATION
| Min Innings (Top Teams) | 25 |
| Min Career Wkts | 50 |
TOP 100 PACERS WITH BEST BBA IN TEST CRICKET
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
| RANK | BOWLER | NAT | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | BBA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JM Anderson | ENG | 3/6 | 6/17 | 5/16 | 5/20 | 4/17 | 4/18 | 4/20 | 3.31 |
| 2 | GD McGrath | AUS | 4/10 | 6/17 | 8/24 | 5/21 | 3/13 | 4/18 | 8/38 | 3.66 |
| 3 | SCJ Broad | ENG | 8/15 | 6/17 | 6/25 | 4/19 | 6/31 | 4/21 | 4/25 | 3.68 |
| 4 | M Morkel | SA | 3/9 | 6/23 | 5/20 | 5/21 | 5/23 | 3/14 | 4/19 | 3.73 |
| 5 | VD Philander | SA | 5/7 | 5/15 | 6/21 | 4/16 | 5/21 | 5/30 | 4/27 | 3.81 |
| 6 | DW Steyn | SA | 6/8 | 5/17 | 4/18 | 5/23 | 6/34 | 5/29 | 5/33 | 4.10 |
| 7 | CEL Ambrose | WI | 3/8 | 7/25 | 6/24 | 4/17 | 3/14 | 5/25 | 4/20 | 4.18 |
| 8 | CA Walsh | WI | 6/18 | 4/14 | 5/22 | 4/21 | 7/37 | 3/16 | 3/16 | 4.49 |
| 9 | WPUJC Vaas | SL | 6/22 | 4/15 | 6/29 | 4/20 | 3/15 | 5/31 | 4/28 | 4.53 |
| 10 | JJ Bumrah | IND | 5/7 | 6/27 | 5/24 | 5/27 | 6/33 | 3/17 | 5/30 | 4.60 |
| 11 | RJ Hadlee | NZ | 4/8 | 7/23 | 6/26 | 3/16 | 5/28 | 9/52 | 5/29 | 4.68 |
| 12 | JR Hazlewood | AUS | 5/8 | 4/16 | 3/13 | 5/30 | 5/31 | 5/35 | 3/21 | 5.06 |
| 13 | BA Stokes | ENG | 3/5 | 6/22 | 5/23 | 6/36 | 4/26 | 3/24 | 4/33 | 5.09 |
| 14 | PJ Cummins | AUS | 6/23 | 6/27 | 6/28 | 3/15 | 4/21 | 5/28 | 4/29 | 5.11 |
| 15 | SJ Harmison | ENG | 7/12 | 6/19 | 5/35 | 5/38 | 6/46 | 4/33 | 5/43 | 5.28 |
| 16 | JH Kallis | SA | 4/13 | 5/21 | 5/30 | 4/24 | 3/18 | 3/22 | 3/24 | 5.35 |
| 17 | M Ntini | SA | 5/19 | 3/12 | 7/37 | 3/18 | 3/20 | 5/35 | 3/22 | 5.39 |
| 18 | Shoaib Akhtar | PAK | 6/11 | 5/21 | 5/24 | 6/30 | 4/30 | 6/50 | 5/43 | 5.39 |
| 19 | SM Pollock | SA | 3/9 | 4/16 | 6/30 | 5/28 | 4/24 | 5/32 | 6/39 | 5.40 |
| 20 | RGD Willis | ENG | 4/14 | 4/16 | 8/43 | 5/27 | 3/18 | 5/32 | 5/35 | 5.40 |
| 21 | MD Marshall | WI | 7/22 | 4/19 | 6/32 | 5/29 | 4/24 | 6/37 | 4/25 | 5.41 |
| 22 | IT Botham | ENG | 5/11 | 5/21 | 8/34 | 6/34 | 7/48 | 5/35 | 4/29 | 5.41 |
| 23 | JN Gillespie | AUS | 3/11 | 4/18 | 7/37 | 4/24 | 3/18 | 4/25 | 6/40 | 5.48 |
| 24 | SM Boland | AUS | 3/2 | 6/7 | 3/16 | 3/18 | 6/45 | 4/31 | 4/33 | 5.62 |
| 25 | JB Statham | ENG | 3/9 | 4/18 | 7/39 | 4/24 | 5/31 | 5/34 | 4/28 | 5.69 |
| 26 | FS Trueman | ENG | 8/31 | 6/30 | 6/31 | 5/27 | 4/24 | 5/31 | 7/44 | 5.74 |
| 27 | UT Yadav | IND | 3/9 | 3/12 | 4/25 | 3/22 | 3/23 | 4/32 | 3/26 | 5.74 |
| 28 | TA Boult | NZ | 6/30 | 6/32 | 4/23 | 6/40 | 4/28 | 3/21 | 3/25 | 5.77 |
| 29 | KAJ Roach | WI | 5/8 | 5/17 | 3/20 | 3/22 | 4/30 | 6/48 | 5/41 | 5.82 |
| 30 | TG Southee | NZ | 3/12 | 4/19 | 4/25 | 5/32 | 4/26 | 5/35 | 6/43 | 5.83 |
| 31 | MG Johnson | AUS | 7/40 | 4/25 | 6/38 | 3/21 | 3/21 | 4/30 | 8/61 | 5.94 |
| 32 | Waqar Younis | PAK | 5/22 | 4/19 | 3/15 | 6/34 | 4/23 | 3/20 | 6/44 | 5.97 |
| 33 | JO Holder | WI | 4/19 | 3/15 | 5/27 | 5/30 | 3/20 | 6/42 | 3/23 | 5.97 |
| 34 | DK Lillee | AUS | 5/15 | 5/18 | 6/26 | 3/13 | 4/35 | 6/53 | 5/46 | 6.08 |
| 35 | MA Holding | WI | 5/17 | 6/21 | 3/16 | 4/24 | 4/30 | 3/24 | 5/43 | 6.09 |
| 36 | AR Caddick | ENG | 5/14 | 5/16 | 5/32 | 7/46 | 5/42 | 3/28 | 4/38 | 6.12 |
| 37 | K Rabada | SA | 4/13 | 6/32 | 5/30 | 5/33 | 5/34 | 5/37 | 6/46 | 6.28 |
| 38 | Mohammed Shami | IND | 3/10 | 3/15 | 5/28 | 5/35 | 4/31 | 5/44 | 3/27 | 6.30 |
| 39 | Imran Khan | PAK | 7/40 | 6/35 | 3/19 | 4/26 | 3/20 | 8/58 | 7/52 | 6.30 |
| 40 | MA Starc | AUS | 6/9 | 5/34 | 4/28 | 6/48 | 3/24 | 3/24 | 4/33 | 6.33 |
| 41 | I Sharma | IND | 5/22 | 3/15 | 3/20 | 6/51 | 5/43 | 6/55 | 3/28 | 6.47 |
| 42 | CL Cairns | NZ | 7/27 | 5/31 | 5/31 | 7/53 | 3/24 | 6/52 | 5/44 | 6.55 |
| 43 | Fazal Mahmood | PAK | 5/26 | 6/34 | 6/34 | 7/42 | 6/46 | 4/35 | 6/53 | 6.60 |
| 44 | RAS Lakmal | SL | 4/26 | 4/27 | 3/21 | 4/29 | 3/25 | 3/25 | 5/47 | 6.63 |
| 45 | CEH Croft | WI | 8/29 | 4/15 | 5/40 | 3/27 | 3/27 | 3/29 | 4/39 | 6.70 |
| 46 | MS Kasprowicz | AUS | 7/36 | 7/39 | 5/28 | 5/30 | 3/28 | 4/53 | 3/42 | 6.85 |
| 47 | Mohammad Asif | PAK | 5/27 | 6/41 | 6/44 | 4/40 | 3/30 | 4/41 | 4/43 | 6.86 |
| 48 | MJ Henry | NZ | 5/15 | 7/23 | 6/39 | 5/40 | 7/67 | 3/31 | 4/48 | 6.86 |
| 49 | IR Bishop | WI | 4/22 | 3/18 | 5/32 | 6/40 | 4/29 | 5/41 | 5/43 | 6.94 |
| 50 | CR Woakes | ENG | 6/17 | 3/9 | 5/32 | 4/36 | 5/50 | 3/30 | 3/30 | 6.95 |
| 51 | AA Donald | SA | 4/14 | 5/32 | 3/20 | 4/27 | 5/36 | 5/40 | 6/53 | 7.02 |
| 52 | TL Goddard | SA | 3/13 | 4/18 | 5/31 | 3/23 | 3/26 | 6/53 | 3/27 | 7.13 |
| 53 | SR Clark | AUS | 3/18 | 5/32 | 4/28 | 3/21 | 4/34 | 3/30 | 4/43 | 7.14 |
| 54 | PM Siddle | AUS | 5/21 | 3/23 | 3/25 | 4/35 | 6/54 | 5/49 | 5/50 | 7.16 |
| 55 | JE Taylor | WI | 5/11 | 6/47 | 4/34 | 3/28 | 5/50 | 3/33 | 4/45 | 7.22 |
| 56 | N Kapil Dev | IND | 5/28 | 3/21 | 4/30 | 7/56 | 3/24 | 4/34 | 4/36 | 7.24 |
| 57 | N Wagner | NZ | 7/39 | 3/18 | 6/41 | 4/28 | 5/44 | 5/45 | 5/47 | 7.26 |
| 58 | GD McKenzie | AUS | 3/17 | 5/33 | 5/37 | 6/48 | 4/33 | 3/26 | 8/71 | 7.26 |
| 59 | M Jansen | SA | 7/13 | 5/35 | 4/31 | 6/48 | 6/52 | 4/36 | 3/32 | 7.29 |
| 60 | RJ Harris | AUS | 5/25 | 6/47 | 4/32 | 4/33 | 3/28 | 3/31 | 3/36 | 7.39 |
| 61 | EJ Chatfield | NZ | 3/10 | 3/15 | 3/19 | 4/30 | 4/36 | 4/37 | 3/29 | 7.44 |
| 62 | AME Roberts | WI | 6/37 | 3/22 | 3/23 | 7/54 | 4/31 | 5/39 | 3/24 | 7.48 |
| 63 | WW Hall | WI | 3/11 | 5/20 | 4/28 | 6/49 | 6/50 | 4/39 | 7/69 | 7.51 |
| 64 | AK Davidson | AUS | 5/25 | 6/34 | 5/31 | 3/22 | 5/38 | 5/42 | 6/53 | 7.52 |
| 65 | GS Sobers | WI | 4/22 | 4/26 | 3/20 | 5/41 | 5/42 | 3/27 | 3/33 | 7.52 |
| 66 | MA Wood | ENG | 6/37 | 5/34 | 5/40 | 5/41 | 3/27 | 5/46 | 3/32 | 7.52 |
| 67 | SR Watson | AUS | 5/17 | 3/11 | 6/33 | 5/40 | 4/42 | 3/45 | 7.56 | |
| 68 | J Srinath | IND | 6/21 | 3/19 | 6/45 | 3/24 | 4/33 | 5/46 | 8/86 | 7.62 |
| 69 | MJ Hoggard | ENG | 4/27 | 4/29 | 3/24 | 3/24 | 7/61 | 4/35 | 7/63 | 7.65 |
| 70 | Zaheer Khan | IND | 5/29 | 5/34 | 3/23 | 4/41 | 5/53 | 3/32 | 3/36 | 7.75 |
| 71 | PM Pollock | SA | 4/20 | 6/38 | 5/34 | 5/39 | 6/47 | 5/43 | 5/53 | 7.75 |
| 72 | ARC Fraser | ENG | 5/28 | 8/53 | 5/40 | 5/42 | 8/75 | 4/40 | 3/33 | 7.79 |
| 73 | Wasim Akram | PAK | 5/28 | 6/43 | 4/30 | 6/48 | 4/32 | 5/43 | 5/43 | 7.79 |
| 74 | M Siraj | IND | 6/15 | 3/19 | 3/20 | 4/32 | 4/40 | 3/31 | 6/70 | 7.80 |
| 75 | CS Martin | NZ | 6/26 | 3/21 | 5/37 | 6/54 | 5/55 | 3/33 | 5/63 | 7.84 |
| 76 | JA Snow | ENG | 7/40 | 7/49 | 3/21 | 3/22 | 6/60 | 4/41 | 3/34 | 7.84 |
| 77 | D Gough | ENG | 6/42 | 4/30 | 3/23 | 5/40 | 6/49 | 4/40 | 3/30 | 7.93 |
| 78 | IK Pathan | IND | 5/32 | 7/59 | 6/51 | 5/45 | 3/34 | 5/58 | 5/61 | 8.06 |
| 79 | CM Old | ENG | 5/21 | 4/20 | 7/50 | 6/54 | 4/41 | 4/43 | 3/38 | 8.09 |
| 80 | JL Pattinson | AUS | 5/27 | 5/27 | 5/51 | 4/43 | 3/34 | 3/35 | 4/53 | 8.16 |
| 81 | B Lee | AUS | 5/30 | 4/26 | 3/23 | 5/47 | 4/39 | 3/32 | 4/46 | 8.25 |
| 82 | CJ McDermott | AUS | 6/38 | 4/33 | 5/42 | 4/35 | 6/53 | 4/39 | 5/49 | 8.34 |
| 83 | Sarfraz Nawaz | PAK | 3/11 | 3/21 | 5/39 | 9/86 | 4/42 | 4/46 | 4/49 | 8.35 |
| 84 | DJ Bravo | WI | 4/24 | 6/55 | 4/40 | 4/42 | 4/47 | 3/37 | 6/84 | 8.42 |
| 85 | J Garner | WI | 3/15 | 3/22 | 4/30 | 3/24 | 4/36 | 4/36 | 6/56 | 8.51 |
| 86 | Abdul Razzaq | PAK | 4/20 | 4/25 | 5/35 | 3/22 | 3/33 | 3/35 | 4/56 | 8.55 |
| 87 | Umar Gul | PAK | 3/16 | 5/31 | 3/28 | 4/43 | 4/46 | 5/65 | 3/41 | 8.56 |
| 88 | DG Cork | ENG | 3/13 | 4/23 | 7/43 | 3/23 | 4/39 | 3/41 | 4/60 | 8.56 |
| 89 | DR Tuffey | NZ | 4/12 | 6/54 | 4/39 | 3/30 | 4/41 | 3/35 | 3/38 | 8.59 |
| 90 | Mohammad Abbas | PAK | 4/23 | 5/33 | 4/29 | 6/54 | 5/46 | 4/41 | 4/44 | 8.67 |
| 91 | JNT Seales | WI | 4/5 | 3/21 | 3/27 | 6/61 | 3/31 | 5/55 | 3/33 | 8.70 |
| 92 | DJ Nash | NZ | 6/27 | 3/17 | 3/20 | 4/38 | 4/39 | 6/76 | 3/41 | 8.70 |
| 93 | SR Waugh | AUS | 5/28 | 4/26 | 3/20 | 4/33 | 4/34 | 3/40 | 5/69 | 8.79 |
| 94 | BR Taylor | NZ | 5/26 | 5/41 | 3/26 | 3/30 | 4/41 | 7/74 | 3/35 | 8.87 |
| 95 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | IND | 4/8 | 5/33 | 5/48 | 3/31 | 6/82 | 3/44 | 5/82 | 8.92 |
| 96 | VA Holder | WI | 6/28 | 6/39 | 4/41 | 3/35 | 4/48 | 3/37 | 4/56 | 9.08 |
| 97 | A Flintoff | ENG | 3/14 | 3/25 | 3/26 | 4/44 | 5/58 | 4/50 | 3/42 | 9.11 |
| 98 | Hasan Ali | PAK | 5/27 | 5/36 | 5/45 | 5/51 | 5/54 | 3/33 | 5/60 | 9.11 |
| 99 | AW Greig | ENG | 5/24 | 3/23 | 4/33 | 5/51 | 8/86 | 3/35 | 4/53 | 9.12 |
| 100 | AN Connolly | AUS | 3/20 | 4/31 | 6/47 | 3/24 | 5/47 | 4/54 | 5/72 | 9.18 |
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.
Top Teams (TT)
- 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.
Abbreviations
- AVE - Average or Runs/Wkt
- BLS - Balls
- ER - Economy Rate or Runs/Over
- FF, 5WH - Five Fors or 5 Wkt Hauls
- FP - First Played by Year
- INF - Infinite
- INNS - Innings
- LP - Last Played by Year
- MDNS - Maidens
- MP - Middle Played or (FP+LP)/2
- NA - Not Applicable
- NI - Not In Top
- NK - Not Known
- NO, * - Not Out
- NQ - Not Qualified
- OPP - Opposition
- OVRS - Overs
- SR - Strike Rate or Balls/Wkts
- TS - Trend Setter
- TT - Top Teams
- WKTS - Wickets Taken