The most wickets in a Test match in the record book’s data is 14, and two spinners share the exact same figures: Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka) took 14/184 against Pakistan in Colombo on 14 Aug 2014, and Yasir Shah (Pakistan) matched it to the run, 14/184 versus New Zealand in Dubai on 24 Nov 2018.
Every haul here comes from the 895 men’s Tests in the data, which run Dec 2001 to Sep 2026. Match figures add both innings together. Performances before Dec 2001 are outside the data, and Afghanistan’s Tests are not in the open data set.
Most Wickets in a Test Match: How Figures Are Ranked
Match figures are written as wickets/runs, so 14/184 means 14 wickets for 184 runs across both innings. The order is set by wickets, with ties broken by runs conceded, lowest first. So Gudakesh Motie (West Indies) heads the 13-wicket group: his 13/99 against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo cost far less than anyone else’s 13.
Herath and Yasir cannot be split on either count, so they share top spot. Ajaz Patel (New Zealand) is third with 14/225 against India at the Wankhede Stadium on 3 Dec 2021, a match in which he took all ten in India’s first innings.
Single-innings hauls are ranked separately on best bowling figures, and career totals are on most Test wickets.
Most Wickets in a Test Match: Top 25 Match Figures
| Bowler | Match figures | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMRKB Herath Sri Lanka | 14/184 | Pakistan | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo | 14 Aug 2014 |
| Yasir Shah Pakistan | 14/184 | New Zealand | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai | 24 Nov 2018 |
| AY Patel New Zealand | 14/225 | India | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | 3 Dec 2021 |
| G Motie West Indies | 13/99 | Zimbabwe | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo | 12 Feb 2023 |
| ST Gabriel West Indies | 13/121 | Sri Lanka | Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet | 14 Jun 2018 |
| R Ashwin India | 13/140 | New Zealand | Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore | 8 Oct 2016 |
| K Rabada South Africa | 13/144 | England | SuperSport Park, Centurion | 22 Jan 2016 |
| HMRKB Herath Sri Lanka | 13/145 | Australia | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo | 13 Aug 2016 |
| HMRKB Herath Sri Lanka | 13/152 | Zimbabwe | Harare Sports Club, Harare | 6 Nov 2016 |
| NM Lyon Australia | 13/154 | Bangladesh | Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram | 4 Sep 2017 |
| MJ Santner New Zealand | 13/157 | India | MCA Stadium, Pune | 24 Oct 2024 |
| A Kumble India | 13/181 | Australia | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | 14 Oct 2004 |
| SNJ O’Keefe Australia | 12/70 | India | MCA Stadium, Pune | 23 Feb 2017 |
| M Muralitharan Sri Lanka | 12/82 | Bangladesh | Asgiriya Stadium, Kandy | 11 Jul 2007 |
| R Ashwin India | 12/85 | New Zealand | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad | 23 Aug 2012 |
| R Ashwin India | 12/98 | South Africa | Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur | 25 Nov 2015 |
| AAP Atkinson England | 12/106 | West Indies | Lord’s Cricket Ground, London | 10 Jul 2024 |
| Mehedi Hasan Miraz Bangladesh | 12/117 | West Indies | Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur | 30 Nov 2018 |
| MG Johnson Australia | 12/127 | South Africa | SuperSport Park, Centurion | 12 Feb 2014 |
| Sajid Khan Pakistan | 12/128 | Bangladesh | Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur | 4 Dec 2021 |
| R Ashwin India | 12/131 | West Indies | Windsor Park, Roseau | 12 Jul 2023 |
| HMRKB Herath Sri Lanka | 12/157 | Bangladesh | R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo | 16 Mar 2013 |
| Mehedi Hasan Miraz Bangladesh | 12/159 | England | Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur | 28 Oct 2016 |
| R Ashwin India | 12/167 | England | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | 8 Dec 2016 |
| DL Vettori New Zealand | 12/170 | Bangladesh | MA Aziz Stadium, Chattogram | 26 Oct 2004 |
Best Match Figures in a Test for India
| Bowler | Match figures | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R Ashwin | 13/140 | New Zealand | Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore | 8 Oct 2016 |
| A Kumble | 13/181 | Australia | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | 14 Oct 2004 |
| R Ashwin | 12/85 | New Zealand | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad | 23 Aug 2012 |
| R Ashwin | 12/98 | South Africa | Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur | 25 Nov 2015 |
| R Ashwin | 12/131 | West Indies | Windsor Park, Roseau | 12 Jul 2023 |
| R Ashwin | 12/167 | England | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | 8 Dec 2016 |
| R Ashwin | 12/198 | Australia | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | 22 Feb 2013 |
| A Kumble | 12/279 | Australia | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 2 Jan 2004 |
| AR Patel | 11/70 | England | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | 24 Feb 2021 |
| IK Pathan | 11/96 | Bangladesh | Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka | 10 Dec 2004 |
Most Runs in a Test Match by a Player
| Batter | Runs | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shubman Gill India | 430 | England | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 2 Jul 2025 |
| KC Sangakkara Sri Lanka | 424 | Bangladesh | Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chattogram | 4 Feb 2014 |
| BC Lara West Indies | 400 | England | Antigua Recreation Ground, St John’s | 10 Apr 2004 |
| ML Hayden Australia | 380 | Zimbabwe | WACA Ground, Perth | 9 Oct 2003 |
| DPMD Jayawardene Sri Lanka | 374 | South Africa | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo | 27 Jul 2006 |
| PWA Mulder South Africa | 367 | Zimbabwe | Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo | 6 Jul 2025 |
| GC Smith South Africa | 362 | England | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 24 Jul 2003 |
| DA Warner Australia | 335 | Pakistan | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 29 Nov 2019 |
| CH Gayle West Indies | 333 | Sri Lanka | Galle International Stadium, Galle | 15 Nov 2010 |
| SC Ganguly India | 330 | Pakistan | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | 8 Dec 2007 |
| MJ Clarke Australia | 329 | India | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 3 Jan 2012 |
| DP Conway New Zealand | 327 | West Indies | Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui | 18 Dec 2025 |
| LRPL Taylor New Zealand | 326 | Australia | WACA Ground, Perth | 13 Nov 2015 |
| JE Root England | 325 | Pakistan | Old Trafford, Manchester | 22 Jul 2016 |
| V Sehwag India | 319 | South Africa | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | 26 Mar 2008 |
Spinners, Repeat Names and Grounds
Spin dominates the list. Of the top 25 hauls, only four belong to fast bowlers: Shannon Gabriel (West Indies, 13/121), Kagiso Rabada (South Africa, 13/144), Mitchell Johnson (Australia, 12/127) and Gus Atkinson (England, 12/106 at Lord’s).
Two names keep coming back. Herath appears four times, three of them in Colombo plus 13/152 in Harare. R Ashwin (India) appears five times, all with 12 or 13 wickets.
Grounds repeat too. Herath’s 14/184 and 13/145 both came at the SSC in Colombo, and the MCA Stadium in Pune hosted two hauls against India: Steve O’Keefe’s 12/70 for Australia and Mitchell Santner’s 13/157 for New Zealand. Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur appears three times, twice for Mehedi Hasan Miraz (Bangladesh).
Best Match Figures for India and Most Runs in a Test
India’s best is Ashwin’s 13/140 against New Zealand at Indore on 8 Oct 2016. Anil Kumble’s 13/181 against Australia in Chennai on 14 Oct 2004 is second. Ashwin owns six of India’s top 10 hauls. Axar Patel’s 11/70 against England in Ahmedabad is the cheapest of the ten.
The page also lists the most runs by a batter in one Test, adding both innings. Shubman Gill (India) leads with 430 against England at Edgbaston on 2 Jul 2025. Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) made 424 against Bangladesh in Chattogram, and Brian Lara (West Indies) 400 against England in St John’s.
Team match totals are not part of this page; see highest team totals for those.
Questions about Most wickets in a Test match
Which bowler has the most wickets in a Test match?
In data since Dec 2001, Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka) and Yasir Shah (Pakistan) share the best match figures, 14/184 each. Ajaz Patel (New Zealand) also took 14, for 225 runs, against India in Mumbai.
What are the best match figures for India in a Test?
R Ashwin’s 13/140 against New Zealand at Indore on 8 Oct 2016. Anil Kumble’s 13/181 against Australia in Chennai is next, followed by Ashwin’s 12/85 against New Zealand in Hyderabad.
What is Anil Kumble's best in a Test match on this page?
13/181 against Australia in Chennai on 14 Oct 2004, plus 12/279 in Sydney in Jan 2004. Matches before Dec 2001 are not in the data, so his earlier Tests do not appear.
Who has scored the most runs in a Test match?
Shubman Gill (India) with 430 against England at Edgbaston, starting 2 Jul 2025. Kumar Sangakkara made 424 against Bangladesh in Feb 2014 and Brian Lara 400 against England in Apr 2004.
How are match figures ranked?
Wickets decide the order, and when two bowlers have the same number, the cheaper haul goes higher. Both innings of the Test are added together, so Gudakesh Motie’s 13/99 ranks above every other 13-wicket haul in the 895 Tests covered.
Source: ball-by-ball match data from Cricsheet.org (ODC-BY). See how we compile these records.