Josh Hazlewood Surpasses Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma, Breaks Into Top 35 of All-Time Test Wicket-Takers

Australia pace bowler Josh Hazlewood made history during the third Test against South Africa by dismissing Aiden Markram to claim his 312nd Test wicket. With that dismissal, Hazlewood moved past Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan, who are tied at 311 wickets, and now stands 35th on the all-time list of leading Test wicket-takers.

The milestone followed a standout individual performance earlier in the series. Hazlewood returned career-best figures of 6/49 in the final innings of the first Test at Kingsmead in Durban, helping Australia secure a 214-run victory. He finished that match with eight wickets in total, reinforcing his reputation as one of Australia’s premier pace bowlers in the format.

Across 81 Test matches for Australia between 2014 and 2026, Hazlewood has accumulated 312 wickets, briefly matching Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan before moving ahead of both in the record books. He has maintained a career bowling average of 23.91 and an economy rate of 2.78, recording 11 five-wicket hauls and 15 four-wicket hauls. Earlier in the same series, he had already gone past Brett Lee (310 wickets), Fred Trueman (307), and Morne Morkel and Lance Gibbs (309 each), highlighting his steady and consistent climb up the all-time rankings.

How does Hazlewood’s record compare with Ishant Sharma’s Test career?

Ishant Sharma represented India in Test cricket from 2007 to 2021, appearing in 105 matches over that period. He finished with 311 wickets at a bowling average of 32.40 and an economy rate of 3.15, with best figures of 7/74 in an innings. His career included 11 five-wicket hauls and 10 four-wicket hauls, making him one of India’s most productive pace bowlers in the format. Hazlewood has now surpassed that mark in just 81 Tests, reaching the milestone in significantly fewer matches than Sharma managed across his 14-year international career.

How does Hazlewood’s record compare with Zaheer Khan’s Test career?

Zaheer Khan played Test cricket for India between 2000 and 2014, featuring in 92 matches during that span. He gathered 311 wickets at a bowling average of 32.94 and an economy rate of 3.27, with best figures of 7/87 in an innings. Zaheer’s record comprised 11 five-wicket hauls and 15 four-wicket hauls, and he established himself as one of India’s leading left-arm fast bowlers of his generation. Hazlewood, operating at a markedly lower average and economy rate, has now moved past that landmark and continues to add to his tally in the ongoing series against South Africa.

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