Top 11 players with most Man of the series awards in Test cricket

Only two cricketers have won 10 or more Man of the series awards in Test cricket.

Every player loves to contribute to their team’s victory. If that heroics comes in test cricket, it becomes a bit more special. Several players in international cricket have played a huge role in their team’s win in a test series. Man of the series award is given to acknowledge the consistent performance a player puts in during a series.

There are a lot of big names who have won the award many times in their respective cricketing career. Ravi Ashwin from India is one such player who has received many of these awards due to his sheer consistency of picking wickets and scoring vital runs for his team. Let’s have a look at the top players with most number of man of the series awards in test cricket.

11. Steve Waugh (Australia) – 6 :

Former Australian skipper Steve Waugh is among the finest batters in world cricket. Steve Waugh had played many match-winning knocks in test cricket. Steve Waugh featured in 168 test matches in his career. Waugh ended up winning six man of the series awards in his career. Waugh has scored 10,927 runs which included 32 test centuries in his 19 years long career.

10. Curtly Ambrose (West Indies) – 6 :

Former West Indian pacer Curtly Ambrose has also been a match-winner for the Caribbean side in his career of 98 test. Ambrose represented West Indies in 98 test matches and he was part of 27 test series. He won the man of the series award six times in his test career. Ambrose is among the leading wicket-takers and picked up 405 test wickets.

9. Malcolm Marshall (West Indies) – 6 :

Part of West Indies’ pace quartet in the 80s, Malcolm Marshall was a crucial cog in the dominant West Indies side. Malcolm Marshal had represented the Caribbean side in 81 test matches and was part of the 21 test series throughout his career. Marshal with his magnificent spells won six man of the series awards. Malcolm Marshal picked 376 wickets in his test career.

8. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies) – 7 :

West Indies left-handed batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul had won 7 man of the series awards in his glorious cricketing career. Chanderpaul was known as one of the finest batters to grace the game of cricket. Left-hand batter Shivnarine Chanderpaul had played 164 test matches in his career and was part of 60 test series. Chanderpaul had scored 11,867 runs in test cricket.

7. Wasim Akram (Pakistan) – 7 :

Former Pakistan left-arm pacer Wasim Akram’s contribution for his side will never be forgotten. Wasim Akram is among the leading wicket-takers in international cricket with 916 wickets. In his test cricket career, Wasim Akram won seven man of the series awards. He was part of 43 test series in 104 test matches and picked up 414 wickets.

6. Shane Warne (Australia) – 8 :

Shane Warne is probably among the top match-winners in test cricket. Warner had a terrific career and finished as leading wicket-taker in test cricket before Muttiah Muralitharan overtook him. Warne won eight man of the series awards in his entire career of 145 test matches. Warne was part of 46 test series in his career and picked up 708 test wickets.

5. Sir Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) – 8 :

Sir Richard Hadlee had one of the finest ratios in winning the man of the series award. Richard Hadlee played 33 test series in his career and won the prestigious award eight times. Richard Hadlee had played 86 test matches in his 17-year-long test career and picked up 431 wickets. Hadlee remains Blackcaps’ leading wicket-taker in test cricket.

4. Imran Khan (Pakistan) – 8 :

Imran Khan is probably the greatest ever cricketer to play the game for Pakistan. Imran Khan won eight man of the series awards in his test career. Imran Khan had a terrific career across formats and ended up taking 362 wickets in 88 test matches and was part of 28 test series. He also scored 3807 runs at an average of 37.69 and six test centuries.

3. Jacques Kallis (South Africa) – 9 :

Former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis is third in the elite list with nine man of the series awards in test cricket. Jacques Kallis contributed immensely to South African cricket with his all-round skills. Kallis played 61 test series for South Africa and won nine man of the series awards. Considered as the greatest all-rounder of the game, Kallis went on to score 13,289 runs (third most), 45 centuries (second most) and also picked 292 wickets in his career of 166 Tests.

Kallis played 166 test matches and scored 13,289 runs with 45 hundreds.

2. Ravi Ashwin (India) – 10 :

Off-spinner Ravi Ashwin has been India’s biggest match-winner in test cricket in the last 10 years. Ashwin has turned India into an invincible side at home along with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Ashwin has so far played 40 test series and won the man of the series award 10 times in his career. Ravi Ashwin currently has 490 test wickets in 95 test matches. He also has 3193 runs and five centuries to his name in the format.

1. Muttiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka) – 11 :

No one will be able to breach Muttiah Muralitharan’s record of most wickets in Tests and ODIs. He ended his career with 800 Test wickets and 534 ODI wickets. Muralitharan participated in 133 Test matches for Sri Lanka and was part of 61 test series, in which, he went on to win 11 man of the series awards.

(All stats updated till 7th January, 2024)

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