Australia vs England 2nd Ashes Test: Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Starc etched his name in the records book in the 2nd Ashes Test at The Gabba, Brisbane, as he surpassed the tally of wickets taken by the legendary Wasim Akram with the wicket of Harry Brook and reached 415 career Test wickets. The milestone marks a momentous one in Starc’s illustrious career and underlined his status as one of cricket’s modern-day greats.
Mitchell Starc Breaks Wasim Akram’s Record
England, who had Zak Crawley (76) and Joe Root (63) giving them stability, were looking to consolidate the innings. Harry Brook came to the crease at 176-3. Starc was already in rhythm, and he produced a sharp bouncer, which Brook edged to Steven Smith at slip.
Mitchell Starc passes Wasim Akram as the most prolific left-arm bowler in Test cricket history 🤩#Ashes | #MilestoneMoment | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/gxzYjLGR2S
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 4, 2025
With that wicket, Starc removed an important batter but also took his wicket tally to 415 scalps, thereby edging out Wasim Akram on the all-time Test wickets list.
Australia vs England 2nd Ashes Test: Starc’s First-Session Impact
In the second session of Day 1, Starc tore through the English top order:
- Ben Duckett caught by Labuschagne for 0
- Ollie Pope bowled for 0
- Harry Brook was caught by Smith for 31
He finished with 3 wickets for 27 runs in 8.2 overs, showing pace, precision and control under the Pink-Ball lights.
Australia vs England 2nd Ashes Test: Joe Root and Crawley Stitch Partnership
Despite early blows, England relied on Root and Crawley to stabilize the innings. Brook and Root added 54 runs for the fourth wicket, trying to delay Australia’s dominance.
Most Wickets in Test Cricket List
By removing Brook, Starc surpassed Wasim Akram to join a class apart of cricketing legends. Here’s a snapshot of the top wicket-takers in Test history:
| Player | Span | Mat | Wkts |
|---|---|---|---|
| M Muralidaran (SL) | 1992–2010 | 133 | 800 |
| SK Warne (AUS) | 1992–2007 | 145 | 708 |
| JM Anderson (ENG) | 2003–2024 | 188 | 704 |
| A Kumble (IND) | 1990–2008 | 132 | 619 |
| SCJ Broad (ENG) | 2007–2023 | 167 | 604 |
| GD McGrath (AUS) | 1993–2007 | 124 | 563 |
| NM Lyon (AUS) | 2011–2025 | 140 | 562 |
| R Ashwin (IND) | 2011–2024 | 106 | 537 |
| Harbhajan Singh (IND) | 1998–2015 | 103 | 417 |
| MA Starc (AUS) | 2011–2025 | 102* | 415 |
| Wasim Akram (PAK) | 1985–2002 | 104 | 414 |
This is a historic feat for Starc, putting him above Akram and definitely among the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history.
