5 best first change bowlers in Test cricket

The new ball is a sacred thing in Test cricket and usually, the best fast bowlers in the team get to share it at the outset. The ball moves more in the air and that is primarily the reason why the best fast bowlers always want to bowl with the new ball. In addition to that, there is the little matter of taking early wickets. The first change bowler, on the other hand, has to bowl with a slightly older ball.

If he is a spin bowler then it is perhaps ideal but for fast bowlers, it is theoretically a disadvantage. However, plenty of fast bowlers have revelled in their roles as first change bowlers. One would expect fast bowlers to have been the most successful first change bowlers in Test cricket but the stats say otherwise.

Here is a look at 5 of the best.

#5 Clarie Grimmett

He is one of the greatest spin bowlers to have ever played the game and during the course of his illustrious career from 1925 to 1936, Clarie Grimmett reigned as one of the world's foremost bowlers. Although he was a leg-spinner, he was not known for being a big turner of the ball and instead, depended on his accuracy, variations of pace and length to pick up his wickets.

Out of the 37 Test matches that the Australian leg-spinner played in his career, he bowled first change in 28 of those and remains the 5th most successful first change bowler in Test cricket history, with a tally of 158 wickets (out of 216 overall). He recorded an excellent average of 23.31 and strike rate of 67.1. Australia have had only one bowler who has done better than Grimmett as a first change bowler.

#4 Rangana Herath

Rangana Herath recorded an average of 28.67, along with a strike rate of 63.2

The Sri Lankan great, who spent most of his career under the giant shadow of Muttiah Muralitharan, is without a doubt, one of the best spinners in world cricket. Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath started off his career in 1999 and over the years, he has bowled as the first change bowler for Sri Lanka 57 times in 47 Tests. The raging turners in Sri Lanka were definitely a factor behind that but Herath's craft as a bowler held him in good stead.

He has snared 162 wickets in those games in which he started as first change and recorded an average of 28.67, along with a strike rate of 63.2. It is a testament to his skills as a bowler that he does not often need to wait for the ball to get old to come into the game and it is no wonder that he has been Sri Lanka’s primary strike bowler over the better part of the last decade.

#3 Muttiah Muralitharan

In 62 innings, Muttiah Muralitharan picked up a staggering 247 wickets

He is the most successful bowler in the history of Test cricket and in a glittering career that spanned around 15 years (1993-2008), Muttiah Muralitharan bowled as a first change bowler on numerous occasions. Out of the 133 Test matches in his career, Murali bowled as first change in 62 innings spread across 54 games and his ability to turn the ball square on almost any surface often rendered the relative hardness of the ball immaterial.

In addition to that, the square turners on which he played made it necessary to bring in Sri Lanka’s lethal weapon into the attack as soon as possible and on those occasions; he almost always delivered the goods. In those 62 innings, he picked up a staggering 247 wickets and recorded an average of only 20.02.

On the other hand, he recorded a strike rate of only 49.2 and recorded as many as 20 5 wicket hauls when he bowled as the first change bowler. As far as number go, no one on this list comes close to him. If Murali had bowled first change more often, he would certainly have been the most successful.

#2 Shane Warne

In 76 Tests, Shane Warne picked up 265 wickets

The list continues with another spin bowling stalwart, who ended up as the second most successful first change bowler in the history of the game and considering the fact that he played for Australia, it may come as a surprise that Shane Warne finds himself in this position.

However, in this regard, it must be said that Warne’s career span is a big factor in this regard and his obvious skills as one of the world’s greatest ever spin bowlers made him such a successful first change bowler for Australia.

He bowled as the first change 90 times in 76 Test matches and over the course of those games, he picked up 265 wickets. However, even beyond that, his average of only 23.46 and strike rate of 55.5 makes him one of the deadliest first change bowlers to have ever played for Australia.

#1 Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble picked up 287 wickets at an average of 27.15

The most successful first change bowler in the history of Test cricket is former India great Anil Kumble, whose quick leg-spin made him one of the most lethal bowlers on turning tracks for much of his career. One of the most important attributes of Kumble as a bowler was his relentless accuracy, pace through the air, bounce and a deadly flipper that could wreak havoc with the newish ball.

Naturally, he thrived when he came on to bowl for India on turners designed for his type of bowling and emerged as the most successful first change bowler in the history of Test cricket. He has bowled as first change the highest number of times among the bowlers in this list, having been the third bowler to be introduced into the attack as many as 101 times across 72 Test matches. Kumble picked up 287 wickets at an average of 27.15 and returned a strike rate of 61.4.