Starc becomes most successful left-arm bowler in Test history

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc became the most successful left-arm bowler in Test cricket history on Thursday, August 13, 2026, surpassing Sri Lankan spinner Rangana Herath's long-standing record. The milestone was achieved on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh at the Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin.

Starc began the match level with Herath on 433 Test wickets. He claimed the record-breaking wicket in the ninth over of Bangladesh's first innings, dismissing opener Shadman Islam for 20 runs. The delivery came back into the left-handed batsman, who edged a catch to Nathan Lyon at gully. The dismissal gave Starc 434 wickets in 106 Tests, moving him past Herath's total of 433 wickets, which was accumulated over 93 Tests between 1999 and 2018.

The achievement places Starc joint 11th on the all-time list of Test wicket-takers, alongside Indian legend Kapil Dev, who also took 434 wickets but in 131 matches. At 36 years old, Starc is now just six wickets away from breaking into the top 10, currently held by South Africa's Dale Steyn with 439 wickets.

Starc's historic moment came during a challenging day for the Australian batting lineup. After electing to bat...