Ashes 2025-26: Better than Wasim Akram! Starc is now BEST left-arm pacer in Test cricket
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Ashes 2025-26: Better than Wasim Akram! Starc is now BEST left-arm pacer in Test cricket")
Better than Wasim Akram! Starc is now BEST left-arm pacer in Test cricket Photograph: (AFP)
Starc now has 415 Test wickets after claiming three-for in England's first innings on Thursday (Dec 4) at the Gabba, one more than Akram's 414 and 100+ more than next Aussie best Mitchell Johnson's 313.
Mitchell Starc has always been one of the best pacers going around in the world and now he has become the best left-arm pacer in Test history. The Aussie surpassed Pakistan great Wasim Akram for most Test wickets by a left-arm pacer on the opening day of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane. Starc now has 415 Test wickets after claiming three-for in England's first innings on Thursday (Dec 4) at the Gabba, one more than Akram's 414 and 100+ more than next Aussie best Mitchell Johnson's 313. Australia, already leading five-Test series 1-0, had the upper hand after first two session of the second Test.
Starc strikes in first over again
The leftie started in his signature style, taking a wicket in the first over of the Test for the 26th time in his career after England won the toss and elected to bat first. He backed up the first wicket with another one in his next over by uprooting Ollie Pope's stumps.
Also Read - Unluckiest centurion? Gaikwad maiden ODI century comes in highest chase against India - again
At 5/2, England were staring at another poor first-inning total when Zak Crawley and Joe Root partnered up for 117-run partnership for the third wicket. Michael Neser, who replaced veteran spinner Nathan Lyon for the day-night Test, removed Crawley for 76 to break the partnership.
Another 54-run partnership followed between Harry Brook (31) and Root before Starc came back to remove the former and go past Akram. After two sessions on day 1, England were 196/4 with Root, still searching for his maiden Test ton in Australia, batting at 68 along with skipper Ben Stokes (14).
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Left-arm pacers with most Test wickets
- Mitchell Starc (Australia) - 415 and counting
- Wasim Akram (Pakistan) - 414
- Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) - 355
- Trent Boult (New Zealand) - 317
- Mitchell Johnson (Australia) - 313
