Mitchell Starc Becomes Most Successful Left-Arm Fast Bowler in Test Cricket

Mitchell Starc has written his name in cricket history. On Thursday at the Gabba, Mitchell Starc took his 415th Test wicket and went past Pakistan legend Wasim Akram to become the highest wicket-taking left-arm fast bowler in Test cricket. This huge Mitchell Starc achievement came exactly 14 years after he played his first Test at the same ground. 

Mitchell Starc Surpasses Wasim Akram – New Record for Left-Arm Pacers

The biggest news is that Mitchell Starc now has more Test wickets than any left-arm fast bowler ever.

Here is the updated list of most Test wickets by left-arm fast bowlers:

1. Mitchell Starc – 415* wickets
2. Wasim Akram – 414 wickets
3. Chaminda Vaas – 355 wickets
4. Trent Boult – 317 wickets
5. Zaheer Khan – 311 wickets

Mitchell Starc reached this mark in his 102nd Test match. Wasim Akram needed 104 Tests for his 414 wickets. So Mitchell Starc got there two matches quicker. This is a very big Mitchell Starc record broken because Wasim Akram is seen as one of the greatest fast bowlers ever.

The Special Moment at the Gabba

Mitchell Starc started his Test career at the Gabba in 2011 against New Zealand. Fourteen years later, in the second Ashes Test of 2025, Mitchell Starc came back to the same ground and broke the record. He dismissed England batsman Harry Brook to go past Wasim Akram. Before that, Mitchell Starc had already removed Ben Duckett for a golden duck and Ollie Pope in the first three overs. This gave Australia a great start with the pink ball.

Mitchell Starc’s Overall Test Bowling Numbers

After the Gabba Test, Mitchell Starc has played 102 Tests and taken 415 wickets at an average of 27.85. He has 16 five-wicket hauls and 2 ten-wicket matches. Mitchell Starc is now 16th on the all-time Test wicket-takers list. The players just above him are Shaun Pollock (421) and Harbhajan Singh (417). This shows how fast Mitchell Starc is climbing the list.

Mitchell Starc’s Best Bowling Figures in Test Cricket

Mitchell Starc has many match-winning spells. Here are some of his best performances:

• 6/50 vs South Africa, Perth 2016
• 6/66 vs India, Brisbane 2014
• 5/28 vs Sri Lanka, Galle 2016
• 5/44 vs South Africa, Cape Town 2022
• 7/58 vs England, Perth 2025 (just one week before breaking the record)

The 7/58 in Perth in the first Ashes Test of 2025 helped Australia win by a big margin. One week later, Mitchell Starc broke the all-time left-arm pacer record. These numbers show why Mitchell Starc achievements keep growing.

Mitchell Starc in Ashes Cricket

Mitchell Starc loves playing against England. He now has 135 Ashes wickets – the most by any Australian bowler in the last 30 years. Only Glenn McGrath (157) has more Ashes wickets for Australia in that time. In the 2021-22 Ashes, Mitchell Starc took 19 wickets. In the current 2025-26 series, he already has strong figures. The Gabba spell added more wickets to his Ashes tally.

Mitchell Starc’s World Cup Heroics

Mitchell Starc is famous for big performances in World Cups. In the 2015 ODI World Cup, Mitchell Starc took 22 wickets and won Player of the Tournament. In the 2019 World Cup, he took 27 wickets – still a record for most wickets in one World Cup. Then in 2023, Mitchell Starc took 16 wickets in India and again won Player of the Tournament for the second time. No other bowler has won this award twice. This is one of the greatest Mitchell Starc achievements in limited-overs cricket.

Mitchell Starc’s Five-Wicket Hauls List

Mitchell Starc has 17 five-wicket hauls in Tests. Some important ones:

1. 6/154 vs Sri Lanka, Galle 2011 (his first)
2. 6/111 vs New Zealand, Brisbane 2015
3. 5/44 vs South Africa, Cape Town 2022
4. 6/68 vs India, Adelaide 2024
5. 7/58 vs England, Perth 2025

Each five-wicket haul added to Mitchell Starc achievements.

Mitchell Starc vs Top Teams – Wicket Breakdown

Mitchell Starc has good numbers against every big team:

• vs England – 135 wickets
• vs India – 85+ wickets
• vs South Africa – 100+ wickets
• vs New Zealand – 70+ wickets

This shows Mitchell Starc takes wickets on all types of pitches – fast Australian tracks, swinging English grounds, spinning Asian pitches, and bouncy South African wickets.

Mitchell Starc’s Partnership with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood

Since 2018, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood have formed one of the best fast bowling attacks. Together they have taken more than 900 Test wickets. Mitchell Starc is the left-arm swing option, Cummins is the leader and bouncer king, and Hazlewood is the line-and-length master. This trio has won many series for Australia.

Table of Major Mitchell Starc Records Broken

These Mitchell Starc records show his class in all formats.

Mitchell Starc’s Comeback Stories

Mitchell Starc missed many matches because of injuries between 2016 and 2019. Many people thought his career was in trouble. But Mitchell Starc came back stronger. After 2020, he played almost every Test and became Australia’s main bowler again. The 2023 World Cup win and now the 2025 Test record show how Mitchell Starc fought back.

Mitchell Starc at Different Grounds

Mitchell Starc loves bowling at some grounds:

• Gabba – 70+ wickets (and now the record-breaking wicket)
• Perth – very fast pitch, 80+ wickets
• Adelaide – day-night Tests, 60+ wickets

The Gabba is extra special because his first wicket and his record-breaking 415th wicket both came at the same place.

Mitchell Starc started as a young fast bowler in 2011. Today, at the age of 35, Mitchell Starc stands as the most successful left-arm fast bowler in Test cricket history. From taking his first wicket to going past Wasim Akram, every step has added to Mitchell Starc achievements. The list of Mitchell Starc records broken includes World Cup marks, ODI speed records, IPL price records, and now the biggest Test record for left-arm pacers.

With 415 wickets and counting, Mitchell Starc keeps adding new pages to his career. The Gabba wicket against Harry Brook will always be remembered as the one that made Mitchell Starc number one among left-arm fast bowlers. All the Mitchell Starc achievements – from World Cups to Ashes spells to the new world record – make him one of the best Australian bowlers ever.

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