Fastest 200 wickets in Test: Mohammed Shami picks up yet another five-wicket haul on South African soil to enter his name in record books.
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During the third day of the ongoing India versus South Africa first Test match at SuperSport Park in Centurion, Team India have bundled up South Africa for 197 in the first innings to take a 130-run lead.
It was Indian speedster Mohammed Shami, who was the wrecker-in-chief as he picked up his second consecutive five-wicket haul against South Africa in their home to put India in a dominant position in the Boxing Day Test. He finished the Proteas innings with figures of 16-5-44-5.
It is worth mentioning that Shami had picked up a five-for in India’s last Test in South Africa, at Johannesberg (2018) as well, which India had won despite losing the series 1-2.
Post dismissing the Proteas pacer Kagiso Rabada during the 62nd Over of the innings, Shami completed his double of a five-for as well as 200 Test wickets in only his 55th Test match for India.
The 31-year-old has thus, with the Rabada wicket, taken the fewest balls (9896) to 200 Test wickets for India, and is ahead of the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin (10248), Kapil Dev (11066), and Ravindra Jadeja (11989) to the milestone.
Fastest 200 wickets in Test: Is Mohammed Shami the fastest Indian to this feat?
Although Shami has taken the fewest deliveries to 200 Test wickets for India, he is only the third fastest Indian pacer in terms of number of Test played, to have achieved the feat.
Above him are the likes of Javagal Srinath (54 Tests) and former India skipper Kapil Dev (50 Tests).
As far as the all-time list of bowlers to fastest 200 Test wickets are concerned, Pakistan’s Yasir Shah tops the chart having achieved the milestone in just 33 Test matches for Pakistan.
Below him are the likes of CV Grimmett (Australia, 36 Tests), Ravichandran Ashwin (India, 37 Tests), Denis Lillee (Australia, 38 Tests), and Waqar Younis (Pakistan, 38 Tests).
Javagal Srinath Test record
Javagal Srinath, who is the second fastest amongst Indian pacers to pick 200 Test wickets, played a total of 67 Tests (121 innings) for India from 1991-2002 and picked up a total of 236 wickets at an average of 30.49, which included a total of 10 five-wicket hauls.
Javagal Srinath ODI record
As far as the ODI’s are concerned, the Indian speedster featured in a total of 229 One-Dayers in Indian colours and picked up a total of 315 wickets at an average of 28.08, while striking at 37.8 balls per wicket. He bowled at an economy rate of 4.44 runs per Over throughout his ODI career and also picked up 7 four-wicket hauls an 3 five-wicket hauls in the process.
