Bowlers have always been one of the pillars of cricket. Their wittiness turns over the table when a match seems out of hand. Here are a few players who are outstanding bowlers and excellent fielders. Their quick response to a ball shocks the batters, leading to an unexpected dismissal. The bowler not only stops the runs but also outs the batters. This way of dismissing a batsman is scarce. But a few legends filled this slot as well. Let's look at some of such great bowlers in test cricket history.
1. Muttiah Muralitharan (35)
Muralitharan played for Sri Lanka. He has made numerous records. He is regarded as one of the most successful bowlers in cricket history. With over 800 wickets in test cricket, he got into as a member of the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. His most common technique of dismissing batters in tests was by bowling. He took 35 bowled and caught wickets. One can easily understand the level of quickness that he possessed.
2. Anil Kumble (35)
Kumble has more than 600 runs in test cricket. He is a former leg-spin bowler from India. He has also captained the national Indian cricket team. He was credited as one of the most successful spinners of all time. He tallies with M Muralitharan in the number of caught and bowled dismissals. Out of the total wickets taken, this technique accounts for 5.65%. He has broken many records and also set many records. Thus, he raised the bar for the upcoming players. He received numerous awards, including the Arjuna Award and Padma Sri.
3. Daniel Vettori (21)
Daniel Vettori is a former all-rounder from New Zealand. He was the captain of the team from 2007 to 2011. He is the second bowler to take 300 test wickets for New Zealand. Of 34 caught and bowled wickets, 21 were taken in 113 tests. He is the eighth test cricketer to take 300 wickets and to complete 3000 runs. It shows his all-around abilities. He completed his 100 wickets at the young age of 21. He had been the coach of the national team. He also coached RCB in the Indian Premier League(IPL) from 2014-18.
4. Shane Warne (21)
Shane Warne is considered a living legend of cricket history. He is an Australian bowler. He is the second-highest wicket-taker in tests after Muralitharan. He has made numerous records. He is well-known for the Ball of the Century or the Gatting ball; he bowled in the 1993 Ashes series. His career-best figure came in the 1994-95 Ashes series, where he took 8/71.
5. Derek Underwood (20)
Derek Underwood is a former cricketer from England. Slow left-arm orthodox spin bowling was his bowling technique. He successfully took 20 caught and bowled wickets accounting for 6.73% of the total wickets. He ended his career with 297 wickets. At the mere age of 25, he took his 100th test wicket. He was ranked the No.1 ICC test cricketer in 1969 and retained it till 1973. He was nick-named 'Deadly' due to the way the batsmen would find it difficult to play his balls.
6. Richie Benaud (17)
Richie Benaud is a former all-rounder from Australia. He had a significant role in the revival of Australia in world cricket. He stunned everyone with his caught and bowled delivery in the 1st test 1958. He is credited as the first player to take 200 wickets and complete 2000 runs in Test cricket. He played 63 tests and took 248 wickets at an average of 27.03. He has bowled the maximum number of balls in tests. His career-best was 7/72 against India in 1956-57. He was also an all-rounder in other spheres of life. He was a great mentor, prominent writer, author, and researcher. He has written over a dozen books that are a helpful guide for all cricket lovers.
7. Nathan Lyon (17)
Lyon is an Australian off-spin bowler. He is one of the best off-spring bowlers in Australia. He is the third Australian to take a wicket on the first ball of his debut test against Sri Lanka. The innings ended with Lyon taking five wickets for 34 runs. He took a massive 482 wickets in 117 tests. Owing to his contribution to the team, he was awarded the Australian Men's Test Player of the Year Award in 2019. He continues to bring laurels to his team.
8. Lance Gibbs (15)
LR Gibbs is a spin bowler from West Indies. He is the first spinner to take 300 wickets. His 15 caught and bowled wickets contribute to 4.85 % of the total wickets. His career-best was 8/38, which came against India at Bridgetown in 1961-62. He is the senior-most player to complete 300 wickets in Test cricket at 41.
9. Harbhajan Singh (13)
Harbhajan Singh is a right-arm off-spin bowler from India. He took 13 caught and bowled wickets which is 3.11 % of his 417 wickets in 103 tests. Ricky Pointing was a primary victim of his bowling. Singh dismissed him ten times. His career-best figure is 8/84. He was also an active player in domestic cricket and IPL. After retirement, he continues to be an active commentator.
10. Hedley Howarth (12)
Howarth was a former New Zealand bowler. His international career was short but worth appreciating. He played 30 tests and took 86 wickets at an economy of 2.16. He is famous for the caught and bowled dismissal 1969 against India in Nagpur. The catchled to a 167-run win for New Zealand, making it the first sub-continent win.
