Test cricket is currently enjoying a renaissance of fast-bowling now with an abundance of pacers at the very top of their game with the red ball. Although conditions more conducive to fast-bowling has helped the likes of Archer, Bumrah and Cummins, the longest format currently has a golden generation of pacers, with each top Test-playing nation boasting at least three elite seamers in their side.
Here are our top five fast bowlers in Test cricket as of 2022.
5. Tim Southee – New Zealand
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Veteran Kiwi pacer Tim Southee narrowly edges out Josh Hazlewood, James Anderson and Kyle Jamieson to take the number five position on our list following his excellent performances with the red ball over the past few years. Southee has been one of the architects of the Blackcaps’ rise to the summit of Test cricket over the years, picking up the third-most wickets (92) in the longest format since 2019. Southee also has an outstanding average of 23 over this period and has performed excellently in all types of conditions, picking up five-wicket hauls in India, England and Australia.
4. Shaheen Afridi – Pakistan
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At number four on the list is Pakistani superstar Shaheen Afridi, who has enjoyed a stellar rise in the longest format over the past few years. Although the left-armer hasn’t played too much cricket away from home against the top-ranked sides in Test cricket, Afridi has picked up 78 wickets in 19 Tests since 2019 at an incredible average of just 23.
3. Kagiso Rabada – South Africa
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Kagiso Rabada boasts an outstanding record for South Africa, having already picked up 233 wickets in just 50 Tests for the Proteas at a mind-boggling average of just 22.4. Rabada is the third-fastest bowler in history to pick up 200 Test wickets – in terms of balls bowled – behind only his countryman Dale Steyn and the great Wagar Younis, and the South African spearhead also has the best strike rate amongst bowlers in Test history with 200 wickets or more (40.7).
2. Jasprit Bumrah – India
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At number two on the list is India’s pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah, who has taken to Test cricket like a duck to water since his debut against South Africa in 2018. Bumrah is the highest wicket-taker in overseas Tests since his debut – with 109 wickets in 24 matches – and the 27-year-old has an incredibly impressive average of 22.9 in Test cricket. Bumrah has played a pivotal part in India’s overseas series victories in Australia (twice) and England (fifth Test pending), and the Mumbai Indians pacer is also undoubtedly the greatest bowler across all formats in world cricket at the moment.
1. Pat Cummins – Australia
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At number one on the list is the ICC number one ranked bowler in Test cricket and new captain of Australia Pat Cummins. Although Cummins has not played red-ball cricket away from home in nearly three years, no pacer in the world bowls with more speed AND accuracy over long periods than Pat Cummins. The skipper has picked up the most wickets in Test cricket (105) over the last three years, and more impressively, the Australian also has the best average (19.6) and best strike rate (43.5) amongst bowlers with at least 65 wickets in that period.
Shivaan Shah