Mitchell Starc Climbs All-Time Wicket Charts After Bangladesh Test Heroics
On August 23, 2026, during the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay, Australia’s star bowler Mitchell Starc passed Ravichandran Ashwin (765 wickets) and Chaminda Vaas (761 wickets) to become the top-twelve wicket-takers in international cricket history.
The left-arm fast finished the match with 10 wickets in each innings, bringing his career total to 771 international wickets in 302 matches at an average of 25.07. He is now ranked 11th on the all-time list.
Mitchell Starc was selected Player of the Match for his ten-wicket performance, as well as Player of the Series, after taking 12 wickets in four innings at an average of 12.08 in the two-match series against Bangladesh.
How did Mitchell Starc bowling numbers impact the second Test in Mackay?
Mitchell Starc was at his most dangerous in Bangladesh’s first innings, scoring 6/12 in 10 overs. He removed five batters in the first seven overs, reducing the visitors to 12/5, with four of those dismissals being ducks. Pat Cummins contributed 3/25 as Bangladesh were dismissed for 64, one of the lowest totals in recent Test history at this venue.
Australia responded with 210 in their first innings, but Shoriful Islam pushed them hard, finishing with 7/48 for Bangladesh. Starc then returned in the second innings to finish the match with 4/39, bringing his total to ten wickets. Cummins took 3/10, while Nathan Lyon had 3/25 as Bangladesh were knocked for 95, giving Australia the win. The outcome squared the series after Australia lost the first Test in Darwin, which Bangladesh won by nine wickets.
Mitchell Starc first-innings surge also marked another milestone: his performance during that stint propelled him over Dale Steyn as the all-time Test wicket-taker, putting him in the top ten in the format-specific list.
How close is Mitchell Starc to joining the top ten all-time international wicket takers?
Starc’s 771 international wickets put him six shy of New Zealand’s Tim Southee, who has 776. Crossing that mark would propel Starc into the top ten in all international forms, a goal that appears within reach considering his current form.
His career statistics include 28 five-wicket hauls and four ten-wicket hauls, with his best international performance of 7/58 staying in place. most comparison, Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record most international wickets with 1,347 in 495 matches at an average of 22.86, including 77 five-wicket hauls and 22 ten-wicket hauls.
