Year-Ender 2024: Top 6 highest wicket-takers in test cricket in 2024

Only two bowlers took more than 50 wickets in test cricket in 2024.

In 2024, plenty of bowlers made a significant impact on test cricket, with their skill and consistency elevating in the wickets chart.

While fast bowlers thrived in England, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, spinners may hay in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

With pitches this year in test cricket providing significant assistance to the bowlers, they rode their sides to some famous victories.

Let us look at the five highest wicket-takers in test cricket in 2024.

Here are the top six highest wicket-takers in test cricket in 2024:

6. Ravindra Jadeja (India) – 48 wickets

Ravindra Jadeja, the ace Indian all-rounder, who has been a mainstay for the team, especially in overseas encounters, has been busy taking wickets in 2024 in tests and has 48 scalps to his name in just 12 tests.

His wickets came at an average of 24.29 and he took 3 five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket match haul. His best bowling figures in an innings was 5/44 and in a match was 10/120. This came in the Mumbai test against New Zealand in October, but the match ended in India’s defeat.

5. Prabath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka) – 48 wickets

The Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya had a terrific year as he bowled impressively even in away conditions of England and South Africa and remained a match-winner at home.

Eventually, he finished the year with 48 wickets in only nine matches at an average of 32.20. His best figures of 6/42 this year underlined his match-winning potential. He took four fifers in tests this year.

Jayasuriya is one of the major reasons Sri Lanka remained in contention for a spot in the final of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC 2025). Jayasuriya has been a key member of Sri Lanka’s team, especially at home, and is well-known for his ability to generate turn and bounce on spin-friendly surfaces. He will be seen in action early in 2025 when Sri Lanka host Australia for an important two-test series.

4. Matt Henry (New Zealand) – 48 wickets

New Zealand pacer Matt Henry took 48 wickets to his name in only nine tests. Famed for his accuracy and swing with the new ball, Henry was instrumental in New Zealand’s 3-0 whitewash in the test series in India.

Henry took his 48 wickets at an average of only 18.58 with best bowling figures of 7/67. He has taken over the strike pacer’s role for New Zealand after the retirements of Trent Boult, Neil Wagner, and Tim Southee. Henry is an essential part of New Zealand’s bowling strategy because of his dependability at home and away.

3. Shoaib Bashir (England) – 49 wickets

Shoaib Bashir made his England test debut this year in India. He did well in his debut series, and quickly became the go-to spinner for Ben Stokes. His tall height and release point gives him the advantage of getting extra bounce and that’s why he was chosen by the England management over a couple of other spinners who have done well in County cricket.

In 2024, Bashir took 49 wickets in test cricket in 15 matches at an average of 40.16 and best figures of 5/41. He’s become a key component of England’s bowling attack in the longest format because of his reputation for reliability and his capacity to execute well under nervy situations. He even played as the lone spinner in England’s bowling attack at home against Sri Lanka and away in New Zealand.

2. Gus Atkinson (England) – 52 wickets

England speedster Gus Atkinson had a dream debut year in test cricket in 2024. He made it to the Lord’s honors boards in both the bowling and batting boards, with a five-for, 10-for and a century to his name. His ability to bowl quickly and get seam movement off any pitch makes him deadly.

In 2024, Atkinson took 52 test wickets in 11 matches with an average of 22.15 and a best performance of 7/45 in an innings and 12/106 in a match. He is also one of the few bowlers to take a ten-wicket match haul this year. His knack for taking key wickets has been a highlight of England’s test campaigns in 2024, both at home and in New Zealand.

1. Jasprit Bumrah (India) – 71 wickets

Jasprit Bumrah ruled the wickets chart in 2024 in test cricket. Bumrah has carried the pacer attack on his back this year with Shami injured and Siraj being inconsistent.

With a fantastic average of 14.92 and best innings figures of 6/45, Bumrah took 71 wickets in 13 tests in 2024.

His performances in South Africa, in India and in Australia further solidified his status as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all-time.

(All stats are updated till 26th December 2024.)

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