<P> Taking 300 or more wickets across a playing career is considered a significant achievement in Test cricket . The feat, first accomplished by Englishman Fred Trueman in 1964, has only been achieved by thirty - three players in the history of the game as of October 2018 . Six players from Australia, five each from India, England and South Africa; four from the West Indies; three each from Pakistan and Sri Lanka; and two from New Zealand have crossed the 300 - wicket mark in Tests . Bangladesh and Zimbabwe are yet to see a Test player reach the 300 mark . </P> <P> As of October 2018, former Sri Lankan cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan has the highest aggregate with 800 wickets . He also holds the record for the most five - wicket hauls (67) and ten - wicket hauls in a match (22); his 16 wickets for 220 runs against England in 1998 is the fifth - best bowling performance by a player in a match . Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is the fastest to cross the 300 - wicket mark (54 Tests), while the late West Indian player Malcolm Marshall has the best bowling average (20.94) among those who have achieved the milestone . Fellow West Indian Lance Gibbs is the most economical player with 1.98 runs per over, while South African fast bowler Dale Steyn has the best strike rate of 42.0 balls per wicket . India's Anil Kumble has the best bowling figures in an innings (10 wickets for 74 runs against Pakistan in 1999); they are the second - best in the history of Test cricket after English cricketer Jim Laker's 10 for 53 (against Australia in 1956). </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Mat--Number of matches played </Li> <Li> Inn--Number of innings bowled </Li> <Li> Balls--Balls bowled in career </Li> <Li> Runs--Runs conceded in career </Li> <Li> Wkt--Wickets taken in career </Li> <Li> Ave--Average runs per wicket </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Econ--Runs conceded per over </Li> <Li> SR--Number of balls bowled per wicket taken </Li> <Li> BBI--Best bowling in innings </Li> <Li> BBM--Best bowling in match </Li> <Li> 5wI--Five or more wickets in an innings </Li> <Li> 10wI--Ten or more wickets in a match </Li> <Li> Period--Cricketing career of the player </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Who holds the record for most test wickets