Often hailed as the most prestigious and competitive cricket format in the world, test cricket is followed by millions of hardcore cricket aficionados from all over the world. The glorious history of test cricket has witnessed numerous prominent and sensational spinners who have not just reigned supreme against opponent teams with their lethal bowling attacks but have also led their teams to dominating victories after annihilating the scoring potential of the opponent teams. From Muttiah Muralitharan to Shane Warne, numerous iconic spin bowlers have undoubtedly proven to be nothing short of a walking nightmare for even the greatest batsmen in the test format over the decades.
In this article we will take a look at the top four legendary spinners who hold the record for picking up the highest number of wickets in the test format.
Top 4 Spinners With Most Wickets in the Tests
-
Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lanka – 800 Wickets
Often hailed as one of the deadliest and greatest bowlers in the history of international cricket, the legendary Sri Lankan former international cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan is at the first spot in our list of the top four legendary spinners who have picked up the highest wickets in the test format. Muttiah Muralitharan represented Sri Lanka’s national cricket team from 1992 to 2011 and played a total of 133 test matches and picked up a total of 800 wickets at an economy rate of 2.47 and an average of 22.7, which continues to be the highest number of test wickets ever picked up by a spinner as of July 2025.
-
Shane Warne, Australia – 708 Wickets
At the second spot in our list of the top four legendary spinners who hold the record for picking up the highest number of wickets in the test format, we have the legendary Australian former international cricketer Shane Warne, who tragically passed away in 2007 at the age of fifty-two. Throughout his star-studded international cricketing career that lasted from 1992 to 2007, Shane Warne played a total of 145 test matches and picked up a total of 708 wickets at an economy rate of 2.65 and a blistering average of 25.4, ranking him at the second spot in our list.
-
Anil Kumble, India – 619 Wickets
Next, at the third spot in our list of the top four legendary spinners who have picked up the highest wickets in the test format, we have the legendary Indian former international cricketer Anil Kumble, who is often hailed as one of the greatest bowlers in international cricket to ever represent the Indian side. The Indian spin wizard, Anil Kumble, represented the Indian national cricket team across all formats of international cricket from 1990 to 2008 and played a total of 132 test matches, picking up a record total of 619 wickets at an average of 29.6 and a phenomenal economy rate of 2.69, which continues to be the third-highest total of test wickets ever picked up a spinner in the history of the game.
Read More
-
Ravichandran Ashwin, India – 537 Wickets
Finally, at the fourth spot in our list of the top four legendary spinners who have held the record for picking up the highest number of wickets in the test format, we have another path-breaking Indian international cricketer, Ravichandran Ashwin, who represented India across all formats of international cricket from 2010 to 2024 and played a total of 106 test matches picking up a total of 537 wickets at an average of 24.0 and an economy rate of 2.83 ranking him at the fourth spot in our list. Widely regarded as one of the finest bowlers in the history of the Indian cricket team, Ravichandran Ashwin has undoubtedly left behind a legacy that will continue to resonate in the realms of test format for decades to come.
