Ravi Ashwin recently became the second-fastest bowler to bag 400 Test scalps. ANDRE HUISAMEN identifies the five bowlers who reached the milestone the quickest.

Muttiah Muralitharan – 72 Tests

The Sri Lanka great picked up his 400th wicket nearly ten years after making his Test debut. It was only the beginning for Muralitharan, who would go on to double that tally, finishing his career with a staggering 800 wickets in 133 Tests at an average of 22.72.

Ravi Ashwin – 77 Tests

Ashwin is becoming one of the all-time greats and his wicket of Jofra Archer in the third Test against England epitomised how lethal he has become on the subcontinent. Ashwin is instrumental to India’s success, requiring only five more matches than Muralitharan to get to 400.

Richard Hadlee – 80 Tests 

The fast bowler brought up the 400-wicket milestone in a clash with India in Christchurch back in 1990. Regarded as one of the all-time great New Zealand cricketers, Hadlee would play only six more matches after that, finishing his career with 431 Test wickets.

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Dale Steyn – 80 Tests 

Steyn led one of the great South African bowling attacks and became a fearless competitor with the red ball. He picked up his 400th wicket against Bangladesh in Dhaka in 2015, but injuries would hamper his career in the years that followed. He became the Proteas’ all-time leading wicket-taker in 2018 but called time on his Test career shortly after, ending with a total of 439 wickets.

Rangana Herath – 84 Tests

Another great Sri Lankan spinner that was almost impossible to play in the subcontinent. Herath was lethal with the ball and despite needing 18 years between his Test debut and his 400th wicket, his average was superb, needing only the 84 matches to get to the milestone.