James Anderson created history by making Pakistan captain Azhar Ali his 600th victim earlier in red ball format. It would be an ordinary thing for a fast bowler to achieve such a feat in Test cricket.
Before James Anderson, only three bowlers had taken 600 wickets in Test cricket and all of them were spinners – Kumble, Shane Warne and Muthiah Murlidharan. For the first time a fast bowler took 600 wickets in Test cricket, then everyone praised James Anderson.
In Test cricket, James Anderson has taken wickets in every corner of the world and that is the sign of a great bowler. James Anderson has single-handedly won matches for the England team in Test cricket many times.
Talking about the fast bowlers, Glenn McGrath finished his campaign in Test cricket with 563 wickets and Courtney Walsh 519 wickets or someone like Wasim Akram and Mitchell Johnson have been most complete fast bowlers of the recent decade of cricket.
However, another bowler from the England team is moving fast in Test cricket and his name is Stuart Broad. Recently Broad has completed 500 Test wickets.
His next target will be 600 wickets only. Amidst all this, there have been some fast bowlers in Test cricket who, if not injured, would have taken 600 Test wickets before James Anderson.
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Bowler who could take 600 wickets in test cricket
Dale Steyn
The most complete South African bowler who has proved his mettle all over the world with his supreme fast bowling. Dale Steyn was the most complete fast bowler of this era. He was injured several times in a career spanning fifteen years. This player, who played along with James Anderson, also took wickets from line and length apart from speed. Although he was out of the team several times due to injury, so he could reach only 439 Test wickets. Had he played continuously, he would have probably been the first fast bowler to get 600 Test wickets.
Curtly Ambrose
This veteran West Indies player also faced injury several times in his career. This was the reason that between 1988 and 2000, he could take only 405 Test wickets. Ambrose, who started his career at the age of 25, was plagued by injuries after 1995 and he remained out of the team for a long time. Had he played safely and consistently, he could have taken 600 wickets or even go close to 700 wickets mark.
Allan Donald
Another South African fast bowler in the list played Test cricket from 1992 to 2002 and took 330 wickets in his career. He was considered one of the most destructive bowlers of his time. Struggling with injuries in his career, he did not play Test cricket after losing the series against Australia in 2001. If his career had gone well, he could have taken 600 Test wickets way before.
