Top Players with Most Test Wickets Taken in a Calendar Year
Any sportsperson with a long enough career invariably has hot streaks of form which cause spikes or entire mountains in their statistical charts. In cricket, this can vary greatly depending on the number of factors that influence a player’s potential or scope during a year of play. These factors include everything from number of home matches or matches in home-like conditions per year to injuries and selection.
In order to have one of these mammoth performances, a player had to overcome every obstacle and shine above the rest while also being extremely lucky in some ways. Here are the 10 highest wicket hauls over a calendar year.
List of 10 instances of the most wickets taken over a calendar year
| Player | Year | Mat | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 5 | 10 |
| SK Warne (AUS) | 2005 | 15 | 4336 | 2114 | 96 | 6/46 | 12/246 | 22.02 | 2.92 | 45.1 | 6 | 2 |
| M Muralitharan (SL) | 2006 | 11 | 3532 | 1521 | 90 | 8/70 | 12/225 | 16.90 | 2.58 | 39.2 | 9 | 5 |
| DK Lillee (AUS) | 1981 | 13 | 3710 | 1781 | 85 | 7/83 | 11/159 | 20.95 | 2.88 | 43.6 | 5 | 2 |
| AA Donald (SA) | 1998 | 14 | 3232 | 1571 | 80 | 6/88 | 8/74 | 19.63 | 2.91 | 40.4 | 7 | 0 |
| M Muralitharan (SL) | 2001 | 12 | 4688 | 1699 | 80 | 8/87 | 11/170 | 21.23 | 2.17 | 58.6 | 7 | 4 |
| J Garner (WI) | 1984 | 15 | 3590 | 1604 | 77 | 6/60 | 9/108 | 20.83 | 2.68 | 46.6 | 4 | 0 |
| M Muralitharan (SL) | 2000 | 10 | 3740 | 1463 | 75 | 7/84 | 13/171 | 19.50 | 2.34 | 49.8 | 7 | 3 |
| N Kapil Dev (INDIA) | 1983 | 18 | 3469 | 1739 | 75 | 9/83 | 10/135 | 23.18 | 3.00 | 46.2 | 5 | 1 |
| DW Steyn (SA) | 2008 | 13 | 2653 | 1481 | 74 | 6/72 | 10/154 | 20.01 | 3.34 | 35.8 | 5 | 1 |
| N Kapil Dev (INDIA) | 1979 | 18 | 3631 | 1720 | 74 | 6/63 | 9/121 | 23.24 | 2.84 | 49.0 | 5 | 0 |
1. ShaneContents
1. Shane Warne (Australia)
tessential leg spinner of our generation takes the top spot on this list. With 708 Test wickets to his name, Shane Warne has had many spectacular years, but 2005 was a cut above the rest for him. Playing 15 matches, Warne racked up a ridiculous 96 Test wickets at an average of 22.02 and strike rate of 45.1 deliveries per wicket. His haul also contained 6 5-wicket/innings hauls and a couple of 10-wicket/match hauls, with the best bowling figures of 12/246 in a match.
2. Mutti2. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
ind-numbing 800 wickets to his name, Muralitharan makes it on this list three separate times. The most successful of these was his 2006 rampage, which saw the off-spinner pick up 90 wickets in just 11 Test matches. Averaging an utterly absurd 16.90 and striking once every 39.2 deliveries, Murathiaran was a man on a mission that year. He also picked up nine 5-fors and no fewer than five 10-fors, with his best bowling figures being 12/225.
3. Denni3. Dennis Lillee (Australia)
ndary Australian fast bowler had one hell of a 1981, when he created a record that would last until 2005 when his countryman Warne superseded it. Lillee picked up 85 Test wickets, which remains the record for most wickets in a year by a fast bowler to this day. What’s remarkable is he did it in just 13 matches, averaging 20.95 with a strike rate of 43.6. Lillee’s tally also included five instances of 5 wickets in an innings, and he took 10 wickets in a match twice. Lillee’s best match figures that year were a brutal 11/159.
4. Allan Donal4. Allan Donald (South Africa)
e like White Lightning, you would expect Allan Donald to have quite the reputation with the ball. In 1998, he took that reputation to the next level, picking up 80 Test wickets in 14 matches for just 19.63 per wicket. His strike rate was a violent 40.4, and he had 7 fifers in his tally, with best bowling figures of 8/74. In an era of batters like Tendulkar, Lara, and Jayasuriya, Donald conquered all with his scintillating speed and devious movement.
5. Muttiah Mur5. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
earance of Muralitharan is warranted by his antics in 2001. Playing just 12 matches, the off-spin maestro picked up 80 Test wickets at a mere 21.23 per wicket, albeit with a much lower strike rate of 58.6 this time around. The year also saw the Lankan magician pick up seven 5-fors and 4 tenners, with the best figures of 11/170.
6. Joel Garner6. Joel Garner (West Indies)
lest international cricket player in history, Garner used his height to great effect when intimidating those who faced his dreaded right-arm fast. In 1984, he played 15 matches and picked up 77 Test wickets, averaging 20.83 and striking every 46.6 deliveries. Remarkably, he only had four 5-fors to his name that year, and no 10-fors. His best bowling figures remained a relatively modest 9/108.
7. Muttiah Mur7. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
tharan’s 75 Test wickets in the year 2000 make him appear on this list for the third time. The wickets came at intervals of a stupendous 19.50 runs, or 49.8 deliveries, and his tally included 7 fifers and 3 tenners. His figures of 13/171 in a match are the statistical best on this list.
8. Kapil Dev (In8. Kapil Dev (India)
dian all-rounder never missed a match due to injury and was a brilliant bowler in his prime. In 1983, the same year he led India to their incredible first ODI World Cup win, Kapil Dev played 18 matches and picked up 75 Test wickets. His average and strike rate were 23.18 and 46.2 respectively, and his exploits included five instances of 5-fors and a single ten-wicket haul in a match. Kapil’s best bowling figure that year was a 10/135. He is also the only player other than Muralitharan to make this list twice.
9. Dale Steyn (Sou9. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
African was downright godly in his prime, destroying batters as no fast bowler had in a very long time. In 2008, when he was at the peak of his powers, Steyn picked up 74 Test wickets at just 20.01, striking at an insane 35.8 ball intervals — the best on this list by a long way. He got five fifers and a single ten-for that year, with his best performance reading 10/154.
10. Kapil Dev (India10. Kapil Dev (India)
second appearance on this list sees him not only picking up 74 Test wickets in 1979 but doing so while playing 18 Tests once again. He is the only cricketer on this list to have played 18 Tests in a year, and he did so twice. Kapil’s average that year was 23.24, and his strike rate was 49.0. He scalped 5 batters in an innings five times, and his best figures were 9/121.
Contents
2. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
ind-numbing 800 wickets to his name, Muralitharan makes it on this list three separate times. The most successful of these was his 2006 rampage, which saw the off-spinner pick up 90 wickets in just 11 Test matches. Averaging an utterly absurd 16.90 and striking once every 39.2 deliveries, Murathiaran was a man on a mission that year. He also picked up nine 5-fors and no fewer than five 10-fors, with his best bowling figures being 12/225.3. Denni3. Dennis Lillee (Australia)
ndary Australian fast bowler had one hell of a 1981, when he created a record that would last until 2005 when his countryman Warne superseded it. Lillee picked up 85 Test wickets, which remains the record for most wickets in a year by a fast bowler to this day. What’s remarkable is he did it in just 13 matches, averaging 20.95 with a strike rate of 43.6. Lillee’s tally also included five instances of 5 wickets in an innings, and he took 10 wickets in a match twice. Lillee’s best match figures that year were a brutal 11/159.
4. Allan Donal4. Allan Donald (South Africa)
e like White Lightning, you would expect Allan Donald to have quite the reputation with the ball. In 1998, he took that reputation to the next level, picking up 80 Test wickets in 14 matches for just 19.63 per wicket. His strike rate was a violent 40.4, and he had 7 fifers in his tally, with best bowling figures of 8/74. In an era of batters like Tendulkar, Lara, and Jayasuriya, Donald conquered all with his scintillating speed and devious movement.
5. Muttiah Mur5. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
earance of Muralitharan is warranted by his antics in 2001. Playing just 12 matches, the off-spin maestro picked up 80 Test wickets at a mere 21.23 per wicket, albeit with a much lower strike rate of 58.6 this time around. The year also saw the Lankan magician pick up seven 5-fors and 4 tenners, with the best figures of 11/170.
6. Joel Garner6. Joel Garner (West Indies)
lest international cricket player in history, Garner used his height to great effect when intimidating those who faced his dreaded right-arm fast. In 1984, he played 15 matches and picked up 77 Test wickets, averaging 20.83 and striking every 46.6 deliveries. Remarkably, he only had four 5-fors to his name that year, and no 10-fors. His best bowling figures remained a relatively modest 9/108.
7. Muttiah Mur7. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
tharan’s 75 Test wickets in the year 2000 make him appear on this list for the third time. The wickets came at intervals of a stupendous 19.50 runs, or 49.8 deliveries, and his tally included 7 fifers and 3 tenners. His figures of 13/171 in a match are the statistical best on this list.
8. Kapil Dev (In8. Kapil Dev (India)
dian all-rounder never missed a match due to injury and was a brilliant bowler in his prime. In 1983, the same year he led India to their incredible first ODI World Cup win, Kapil Dev played 18 matches and picked up 75 Test wickets. His average and strike rate were 23.18 and 46.2 respectively, and his exploits included five instances of 5-fors and a single ten-wicket haul in a match. Kapil’s best bowling figure that year was a 10/135. He is also the only player other than Muralitharan to make this list twice.
9. Dale Steyn (Sou9. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
African was downright godly in his prime, destroying batters as no fast bowler had in a very long time. In 2008, when he was at the peak of his powers, Steyn picked up 74 Test wickets at just 20.01, striking at an insane 35.8 ball intervals — the best on this list by a long way. He got five fifers and a single ten-for that year, with his best performance reading 10/154.
10. Kapil Dev (India10. Kapil Dev (India)
second appearance on this list sees him not only picking up 74 Test wickets in 1979 but doing so while playing 18 Tests once again. He is the only cricketer on this list to have played 18 Tests in a year, and he did so twice. Kapil’s average that year was 23.24, and his strike rate was 49.0. He scalped 5 batters in an innings five times, and his best figures were 9/121.
4. Allan Donald (South Africa)
e like White Lightning, you would expect Allan Donald to have quite the reputation with the ball. In 1998, he took that reputation to the next level, picking up 80 Test wickets in 14 matches for just 19.63 per wicket. His strike rate was a violent 40.4, and he had 7 fifers in his tally, with best bowling figures of 8/74. In an era of batters like Tendulkar, Lara, and Jayasuriya, Donald conquered all with his scintillating speed and devious movement.5. Muttiah Mur5. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
earance of Muralitharan is warranted by his antics in 2001. Playing just 12 matches, the off-spin maestro picked up 80 Test wickets at a mere 21.23 per wicket, albeit with a much lower strike rate of 58.6 this time around. The year also saw the Lankan magician pick up seven 5-fors and 4 tenners, with the best figures of 11/170.
6. Joel Garner6. Joel Garner (West Indies)
lest international cricket player in history, Garner used his height to great effect when intimidating those who faced his dreaded right-arm fast. In 1984, he played 15 matches and picked up 77 Test wickets, averaging 20.83 and striking every 46.6 deliveries. Remarkably, he only had four 5-fors to his name that year, and no 10-fors. His best bowling figures remained a relatively modest 9/108.
7. Muttiah Mur7. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
tharan’s 75 Test wickets in the year 2000 make him appear on this list for the third time. The wickets came at intervals of a stupendous 19.50 runs, or 49.8 deliveries, and his tally included 7 fifers and 3 tenners. His figures of 13/171 in a match are the statistical best on this list.
8. Kapil Dev (In8. Kapil Dev (India)
dian all-rounder never missed a match due to injury and was a brilliant bowler in his prime. In 1983, the same year he led India to their incredible first ODI World Cup win, Kapil Dev played 18 matches and picked up 75 Test wickets. His average and strike rate were 23.18 and 46.2 respectively, and his exploits included five instances of 5-fors and a single ten-wicket haul in a match. Kapil’s best bowling figure that year was a 10/135. He is also the only player other than Muralitharan to make this list twice.
9. Dale Steyn (Sou9. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
African was downright godly in his prime, destroying batters as no fast bowler had in a very long time. In 2008, when he was at the peak of his powers, Steyn picked up 74 Test wickets at just 20.01, striking at an insane 35.8 ball intervals — the best on this list by a long way. He got five fifers and a single ten-for that year, with his best performance reading 10/154.
10. Kapil Dev (India10. Kapil Dev (India)
second appearance on this list sees him not only picking up 74 Test wickets in 1979 but doing so while playing 18 Tests once again. He is the only cricketer on this list to have played 18 Tests in a year, and he did so twice. Kapil’s average that year was 23.24, and his strike rate was 49.0. He scalped 5 batters in an innings five times, and his best figures were 9/121.
6. Joel Garner (West Indies)
lest international cricket player in history, Garner used his height to great effect when intimidating those who faced his dreaded right-arm fast. In 1984, he played 15 matches and picked up 77 Test wickets, averaging 20.83 and striking every 46.6 deliveries. Remarkably, he only had four 5-fors to his name that year, and no 10-fors. His best bowling figures remained a relatively modest 9/108.7. Muttiah Mur7. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
tharan’s 75 Test wickets in the year 2000 make him appear on this list for the third time. The wickets came at intervals of a stupendous 19.50 runs, or 49.8 deliveries, and his tally included 7 fifers and 3 tenners. His figures of 13/171 in a match are the statistical best on this list.
8. Kapil Dev (In8. Kapil Dev (India)
dian all-rounder never missed a match due to injury and was a brilliant bowler in his prime. In 1983, the same year he led India to their incredible first ODI World Cup win, Kapil Dev played 18 matches and picked up 75 Test wickets. His average and strike rate were 23.18 and 46.2 respectively, and his exploits included five instances of 5-fors and a single ten-wicket haul in a match. Kapil’s best bowling figure that year was a 10/135. He is also the only player other than Muralitharan to make this list twice.
9. Dale Steyn (Sou9. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
African was downright godly in his prime, destroying batters as no fast bowler had in a very long time. In 2008, when he was at the peak of his powers, Steyn picked up 74 Test wickets at just 20.01, striking at an insane 35.8 ball intervals — the best on this list by a long way. He got five fifers and a single ten-for that year, with his best performance reading 10/154.
10. Kapil Dev (India10. Kapil Dev (India)
second appearance on this list sees him not only picking up 74 Test wickets in 1979 but doing so while playing 18 Tests once again. He is the only cricketer on this list to have played 18 Tests in a year, and he did so twice. Kapil’s average that year was 23.24, and his strike rate was 49.0. He scalped 5 batters in an innings five times, and his best figures were 9/121.
8. Kapil Dev (India)
dian all-rounder never missed a match due to injury and was a brilliant bowler in his prime. In 1983, the same year he led India to their incredible first ODI World Cup win, Kapil Dev played 18 matches and picked up 75 Test wickets. His average and strike rate were 23.18 and 46.2 respectively, and his exploits included five instances of 5-fors and a single ten-wicket haul in a match. Kapil’s best bowling figure that year was a 10/135. He is also the only player other than Muralitharan to make this list twice.9. Dale Steyn (Sou9. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
African was downright godly in his prime, destroying batters as no fast bowler had in a very long time. In 2008, when he was at the peak of his powers, Steyn picked up 74 Test wickets at just 20.01, striking at an insane 35.8 ball intervals — the best on this list by a long way. He got five fifers and a single ten-for that year, with his best performance reading 10/154.
10. Kapil Dev (India10. Kapil Dev (India)
second appearance on this list sees him not only picking up 74 Test wickets in 1979 but doing so while playing 18 Tests once again. He is the only cricketer on this list to have played 18 Tests in a year, and he did so twice. Kapil’s average that year was 23.24, and his strike rate was 49.0. He scalped 5 batters in an innings five times, and his best figures were 9/121.
10. Kapil Dev (India)
second appearance on this list sees him not only picking up 74 Test wickets in 1979 but doing so while playing 18 Tests once again. He is the only cricketer on this list to have played 18 Tests in a year, and he did so twice. Kapil’s average that year was 23.24, and his strike rate was 49.0. He scalped 5 batters in an innings five times, and his best figures were 9/121.
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