Mitchell Starc Makes Test History, Becomes Most Successful Left-Arm Bowler Ever

Mitchell Starc has spent much of his career making the ball move at frightening speed. On Thursday in Darwin, he moved past every left-arm bowler in Test history.

The Australian pacer dismissed Bangladesh opener Shadman Islam to claim his 434th Test wicket, overtaking Sri Lankan spin great Rangana Herath’s tally of 433 and becoming the most successful left-arm bowler the format has seen.

The landmark added another chapter to Starc’s extraordinary Test career and came on a remarkable opening day in Darwin when fast bowlers from both teams rewrote record books.

Starc goes past Herath

Until Thursday, Herath had held the record with 433 wickets, accumulated during a 93-Test career between 1999 and 2018. Starc needed just one wicket in Bangladesh’s first innings to move ahead. And when Shadman fell, the Australian had No. 434.

The achievement is particularly significant because Starc has reached the summit as a fast bowler, having spent his career operating at high pace across conditions and continents.

There was an intriguing symmetry to the day. Before Starc created history with the ball, Australia had found themselves on the wrong side of another record. After electing to bat, the hosts were dismissed for just 198, their lowest Test total against Bangladesh, eclipsing their previous low of 217 in Mirpur in 2017.

Australia began reasonably well as Travis Head and Jake Weatherald added 45 for the opening wicket. Then the innings unravelled. They slumped to 74/4 before Steve Smith mounted a fightback with 71 from 109 balls, including seven fours and a six.

It wasn't enough. Hasan Mahmud produces his own piece of history. Bangladesh pacer Hasan Mahmud ripped through Australia with 6/55, registering the best Test bowling figures by a Bangladeshi against Australia. He surpassed Mohammad Rafique’s 5/62 at Fatullah in 2006 and became the first Bangladesh bowler to take a Test five-wicket haul against Australia on Australian soil.

Hasan now has three five-wicket hauls from only 15 Tests, leaving him one behind Shahadat Hossain’s record of four among Bangladesh fast bowlers. Taskin Ahmed had another milestone to celebrate. His 2/55 took him to 300 international wickets, making him only the sixth Bangladesh bowler to reach the landmark. He joins Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafe Mortaza, Mustafizur Rahman, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taijul Islam in the 300-wicket club. But the biggest individual record of the day belonged to the man who has spearheaded Australia's pace attack for more than a decade. Four hundred and thirty-four Test wickets. No left-arm bowler in the history of the format has taken more than Mitchell Starc.

(With inputs from ANI)