Cricket's most skilled bowlers have etched their legacies in the past due to sheer genius, determination, and remarkable longevity. The question of "Bowlers Who Have Taken Most Wickets in International Cricket in all Formats" offers some fascinating facts regarding the sport's greatest wicket-takers from different eras and states of the game. International cricket is conducted in three formats: Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. Each one has its own requirements and hardships for bowling. Others excel in one, and exceptional bowlers excel in all three. Total sum wicket counts indicate bowling excellence across format boundaries. From spin lords to pace monsters, these excellent bowlers have dominated batting lineups worldwide. Behind their excellence lies the evolution of cricket and the immense dedication required to excel at the international stage day in and day out over prolonged careers. Bowlers Who Have Taken Most Wickets in International Cricket in all Formats Rank Player Country Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 1 M Muralitharan SL/Asia/ICC 495 583 63132 30803 1347 9/51 16/220 22.86 2.92 46.8 2 SK Warne AUS/ICC 339 464 51347 25536 1001 8/71 12/128 25.51 2.98 51.2 3 JM Anderson ENG 401 560 50043 27040 991 7/42 11/71 27.28 3.24 50.4 4 A Kumble IND/Asia 403 501 55346 28767 956 10/74 14/149 30.09 3.11 57.8 5 GD McGrath AUS/ICC 376 493 42266 20656 949 8/24 10/27 21.76 2.93 44.5 6 Wasim Akram PAK 460 532 40813 21591 916 7/119 11/110 23.57 3.17 44.5 7 SCJ Broad ENG 344 485 40980 23574 847 8/15 11/121 27.83 3.45 48.3 8 SM Pollock SA/Afr/ICC 423 510 40308 19673 829 7/87 10/147 23.73 2.92 48.6 9 Waqar Younis PAK 349 412 28922 18707 789 7/36 13/135 23.70 3.88 36.6 10 TG Southee NZ 394 485 34318 22951 776 7/33 10/108 29.57 4.01 44.2 Bowlers Who Have Taken Most Wickets in International Cricket in all Formats Detailed Analysis Muthiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) - 1347 Wickets Image Source : Getty Images The uncontested king of cricket bowling records in international cricket. Muralitharan's unorthodox action and kala-kauwa-like doosra bamboozled batsmen for 20 years. His mind-boggling total comprises 800 Test wickets, 534 ODI wickets, and 13 T20I wickets. Bowling 495 games across all forms, "Murali" averaged a record 22.86 with the ball. 9/51, his career best bowling, speak of match-winning ability. 22 ten-wicket Test match figures speak of run of excellence. The Sri Lankan maestro's longevity, 1992-2011, is unmatched. His record of Bowlers Who Have Taken Most Wickets in International Cricket in all Forms remains unbroken for generations. Also Read | Top 10 Bowlers With Most Wickets in T20 World Cup History | Bowling Brilliance Shane Warne (Australia) - 1001 Wickets Image Source : ESPN Australia's master leg-spinner revolutionized leg-spin bowling in elegance, flair, and tactical intelligence. Warne took 708 Test wickets, 293 ODI wickets, the first player to claim 1000 international wickets.His 339-game career spanning 1992-2007 included classic encounters with England and legendary balls like the "Ball of the Century." Warne's 25.51 all-form bowling average speaks volumes of gritty perfection. Ten ten-wicket Test match hauls talk of his ability to win matches with his own strengths. Beyond numbers, Warne's astute mind and aggressive demeanor transformed cricket strategy in the game today. James Anderson (England) - 991 Wickets Image Source : Getty Images England's best swing bowler embodies longevity and versatility through shifting cricket terrains and situations around the globe. Anderson's 991 international wickets reflect an unimaginable 22-year career between 2002-2024. Having 704 Test wickets in his sight, Anderson dominated English conditions and thrived overseas. His ability to reverse new and old balls unsettled batsmen anywhere. With a regular appearance in 401 games across formats, Anderson's economy rate of 3.24 is a testament to control complemented by penetration. Three ten-wicket match hauls and 34 five-wicket hauls attest to sustained quality. Anderson's fitness and skill commitment enabled career longevity records to be shattered. Anil Kumble (India) - 956 Wickets Image Source : AFP India's greatest ever match-winner with combined precision, swing, and sheer determination to claim 956 wickets abroad in all styles of cricket. Kumble's leg-spin style was founded on greater precision than traditional turn and got him the nick name of "Jumbo.". His 619 Test wickets including the historic 10/74 against Pakistan - only the second perfect ten in Test history. Played 403 matches between 1990-2008, Kumble's 57.8 strike rate reflects his aggressive brand of cricket. Eight ten-wicket match efforts reflect that he has the ability to win matches for India alone. The captains' skills of Kumble led India to many landmark away victories. Glenn McGrath (Australia) - 949 Wickets Image Source : Getty Images Australia's pace bowler metronome was the epitome of accuracy, reliability, and mind games throughout a storied career that was marked with several World Cup victories. McGrath claimed 949 wickets through relentless line-and-length bowling. With 563 Test and 381 ODI wickets, McGrath had deadly combinations with Shane Warne in Australia's golden age. His career bowling average of 21.76 is unrivaled by a fast bowler. In 376 games, McGrath's economy rate of 2.93 was genius control. Three ten-wicket figures in matches and 36 five-wicket hauls are evidence of chronic brilliance. McGrath's psychological toughness and strategic baseball wisdom made him almost immortal during his prime years. Wasim Akram (Pakistan) - 916 Wickets Image Source : AFP Pakistan's king of swing bowled reverse swing and sent shudders among the batsmen with late movement and changes of pace. Left-arm pace as well as the occasional off-spinners account for Akram's career haul of 916 wickets. Of 460 games across formats, Akram's versatility was evidenced by diverse roles with the ball - opening strike, death overs, and spin. His 414 Test and 502 ODI scalps are a testament to format versatility. The ability to reverse swing at high speed made Akram almost impossible to beat on his day. Five ten-wicket match hauls and 31 five-wicket hauls are evidence of sustained match-winning work across his 1984-2003 period. Stuart Broad (England) - 847 Wickets Image Source : AFP The greatest English fast bowler of them all contributed pace, elevation, swing, and never-say-die attitude to reach 847 wickets in international cricket across all formats. Broad's personal best is the awe-inspiring 8/15 against Australia in Australia at Trent Bridge in 2015. Representing England in 344 games between 2006 and 2023, Broad formed productive partnerships with James Anderson in England's bowling unit. His 604 Test wickets form the foundation of his overall tally supplemented by limited-over glory. Three ten-wicket match returns and 21 five-wicket returns exhibit ruthless penetration. Broad's ability to extract bounce from any surface, helped by intelligent variation, unsettled batsmen around the world during his career. Shaun Pollock (South Africa) - 829 Wickets Image Source : AFP South Africa's greatest all-round master wed the science of pace bowling brilliance with batting contributions, claiming 829 international wickets across the three formats. Pollock's metronomic accuracy and astute variations earned him the admiration of being a captain's dream bowler. Playing 423 games between 1995-2008, Pollock's economy rate of 2.92 is the touchstone of excellence across formats. His 421 Test and 393 ODI wickets are testaments to consistent performances in both formats. A single ten-wicket match haul and 21 five-wicket hauls are testaments to consistent breakthroughs. Combined with bowling, leadership prowess and all-rounder capability kept Pollock at the heart of South African cricket through their post-isolation golden era. Waqar Younis (Pakistan) - 789 Wickets Image Source : Wikipedia Pakistan's yorker specialist toe-crusher intimidated tail-enders as well as top-order batsmen with blistering speed and deadly accuracy. Waqar took 789 career wickets with aggressive fast bowling and clever variations.Playing 349 wickets between 1989-2003, Waqar's strike rate of 36.6 indicates his attacking style and wicket-taking capability. With Wasim Akram, Waqar was cricket's most devastating pace attack. Having 373 Test and 416 ODI wickets to his credit, Waqar performed as much in Tests as he did in ODIs. Five ten-wicket match figures and 35 five-wicket standall demonstrate the evenness of brilliance. Reversing the old ball with full steam was a Waqar monopoly in his era. Tim Southee (New Zealand) - 776 Wickets Image Source : Getty Images New Zealand's master swing bowler is the definition of longevity and tenacity in contemporary cricket, with 776 international wickets across formats in his kitty. Southee has played between 2008-2024, demonstrating an astonishing immunity to changing trends in the sport. Playing 394 matches, Southee's new-ball talent to swing and adapt with worn-out balls made batsmen across the globe nervous. His 391 Test wickets form the basis of his overall record, complemented by one-day brilliance in confined matches. A ten-wicket match haul and 20 five-wicket hauls symbolize repeated breakthroughs. Southee's shrewd bowling switches and leadership traits made him New Zealand's pace pacer for over a decade of global cricket. Also Read | Best Bowling Performance at Home Tests since 2021: Breakdown by country Conclusion The top ten "Bowlers Who Have Taken Most Wickets in International Cricket in all Formats" is a snapshot of the best bowlers in cricket over periods and situations. Muralitharan's 1347 victims are an all-time highest figure, and Warne's 1001 victims show dominance in spin bowling. These all-time bowlers grew gloriously through Test, ODI, and T20I cricket, demonstrating excellent skill capability to adjust and career longevity. From doosra of Muralitharan to the metronome-like consistency of McGrath, all these bowlers possessed certain characteristics that tormented batsmen from all over the world. Their combined effort spread over decades reaffirms cricket's rich bowling history and the unrivaled dedication involved in long-term success at international levels.