Mitchell Starc on Left-Arm Wicket Record: Wasim is Still the Greatest of All Time

Mitchell Starc on Left-Arm Wicket Record: Wasim is Still the Greatest of All Time

Mitchell Starc has become only the second left-arm pacer to take 400+ Test wickets. Mitchell Starc took six wickets on Day 1 of the pink-ball Test, surpassing Wasim Akram's record of 414 wickets.

Mitchell Starc has become the leading wicket-taker among left-arm fast bowlers in Test cricket, lagging behind Pakistan legend Wasim Akram on the first day of the Brisbane Test against England. But Starc refused to call himself the “GOAT,” saying Wasim was “still a far better bowler than I am.”

Starc took 6 for 71 at the Gabba, his fourth six-wicket haul in just four innings, as he led Australia’s attack in the absence of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. That performance lifted his tally to 418 Test wickets, four more than Wasim. During the day, Wasim congratulated him on social media, praising his hard work and calling him a “worthy champion.”

When asked if he now saw himself as the greatest left-arm pacer, Starc said: “I won’t be calling myself that. Wasim’s still at the top of left-armers and one of the best bowlers ever to play the game.” He admitted he was “pretty tired” but happy to keep contributing, especially in pink-ball Tests where he has an outstanding record of 87 wickets at 16.72.

Australia again relied heavily on Starc, who had been Player of the Match in Perth. England fought hard to reach 325 for 9 at stumps, thanks to Joe Root’s first Test hundred in Australia. The Aussies were missing a combined 1,116 wickets from their usual attack, with Cummins, Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon all absent.

Starc struck early, dismissing Ben Duckett in the first over of the innings his 26th wicket in a Test’s opening over and then removing Ollie Pope. Later, he returned to dismiss Harry Brook with a sharp delivery that edged to Steven Smith. That wicket took him to 415 Test scalps, moving past Wasim’s record.

He continued to dominate, removing Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, and Brydon Carse, completing his 18th five-wicket haul in Tests. He even had a chance to achieve career-best figures for the third Test in a row, but England’s last man Jofra Archer held firm alongside Root until the close.

Wasim Akram, speaking before the match, had already praised Starc as “the number one bowler in world cricket right now and the hardest to face.” He said he was proud of Starc’s achievements and believed the Australian quick could reach 500 Test wickets, calling him “a modern great” and one of the best fast bowlers in history.