Stats: Most Test wickets in Asia by bowlers from outside the subcontinent

Dale Steyn

Fast bowling is, without a shadow of a doubt, the most physically demanding task in cricket. The bowler, when in his delivery stride, goes through much more strain than a human body should be enduring, which is why pacers are always prone to serious injuries. The one saving grace for fast bowlers from outside Asia is that, at least, they are generally playing on conducive surfaces.

‘Speed’ is a thankless task in the sub-continent in particular, where there is virtually no help for the fast bowlers. While those from the subcontinent get used to the docile surfaces on offer and are, thus, able to adjust easier, quicks from outside Asia, who are used to getting some help, find it difficult to adjust.

With that being the case, massive credit goes to the seamers, not used to playing in the sub-continent, who find a way of being successful on unresponsive pitches.

Here are the top 10 wicket-takers in Test cricket in Asia from outside the sub-continent:

Player	Country	Matches	Wickets	Average
Dale Steyn	South Africa	16	80	22.17
Courtney Walsh	West Indies	17	77	20.53
Glenn McGrath	Australia	19	72	23.02
Malcolm Marshall	West Indies	19	71	23.05
Sir Richard Hadlee	New Zealand	13	68	21.58
Shaun Pollock	South Africa	17	60	23.18
Jason Gillespie	Australia	14	54	23.75
Wes Hall	West Indies	11	54	20.05
Matthew Hoggard	England	14	50	28.22
Andy Roberts	West Indies	9	49	21.53

Note: Stats updated till July 20, 2014