Ashes bowling records often look different from one website to another. One list may count every Test between England and Australia, while another counts only matches played in recognized Ashes series. That difference changes several famous players’ totals.
Shane Warne holds the official Ashes record with 195 wickets. The Australian leg-spinner remains 38 wickets ahead of Glenn McGrath. Our Cricket Records coverage continues with the updated list through the 2025-26 men’s Ashes.
Quick Answer
Shane Warne has taken the most wickets in men’s Ashes history with 195 wickets in 36 Tests. Glenn McGrath is second with 157, while Stuart Broad holds England’s record with 153.
Mitchell Starc is the active leader. His 31 wickets in the 2025-26 series raised his Ashes total to 128, tying Dennis Lillee and Ian Botham for fifth place.
Most Wickets in Ashes History: Updated Top 10
The table follows recognized men’s Ashes series through January 8, 2026. Ties mean 11 bowlers occupy the top 10 positions.
| Rank | Bowler | Team | Wickets | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shane Warne | Australia | 195 | Leg-spin |
| 2 | Glenn McGrath | Australia | 157 | Fast-medium |
| 3 | Stuart Broad | England | 153 | Fast-medium |
| 4 | Hugh Trumble | Australia | 141 | Off-spin |
| =5 | Dennis Lillee | Australia | 128 | Fast |
| =5 | Ian Botham | England | 128 | Fast-medium |
| =5 | Mitchell Starc | Australia | 128 | Left-arm fast |
| 8 | Bob Willis | England | 123 | Fast |
| 9 | James Anderson | England | 117 | Fast-medium |
| =10 | Monty Noble | Australia | 115 | Off-spin |
| =10 | Nathan Lyon | Australia | 115 | Off-spin |
The updated Opta record table confirms Warne’s lead and Starc’s climb after the latest series.
Why Do Some Ashes Wicket Lists Show Different Numbers?
The main problem is scope. Not every men’s Test between England and Australia has formed part of an official Ashes series.
Several one-off contests and short series were played outside the regular Ashes sequence. A simple opponent filter may include those wickets, while an Ashes competition table leaves them out. Dennis Lillee and Ian Botham are common examples because their totals against the opposing country are higher than their recognized Ashes totals.
For a fair comparison, every player in one table must use the same definition. The ranking above counts wickets in recognized men’s Ashes series. It doesn’t mix men’s and women’s records, tour matches, or other England-Australia Tests into the total.
Our guide to what the Ashes is and how the series works explains why the rivalry is a competition made up of Test matches rather than a separate cricket format.
Why Shane Warne Leads the Ashes Wicket List
Warne combined skill, longevity, and repeated success against England. He played 36 Ashes Tests and took 195 wickets. His total remains the highest by any bowler against one opponent in men’s Test cricket.
Leg-spin was only part of the challenge. Warne changed his pace, flight, angle, and amount of turn to test a batter’s judgment. England’s batters also faced the pressure of playing long Test innings while Australia attacked with Warne from one end and Glenn McGrath from the other.
Warne announced himself in Ashes cricket with the famous delivery to Mike Gatting at Old Trafford in 1993. The ball drifted toward leg stump, turned sharply, and hit off stump. He later collected 40 wickets in the 2005 Ashes, even though England won that series 2-1.
Cricket Australia’s review of Warne’s career records his 195 Ashes wickets and his 40-wicket performance in 2005.
Who Has Taken the Most Ashes Wickets for England?
Stuart Broad holds England’s record with 153 Ashes wickets. He passed Ian Botham’s recognized Ashes total and finished only four wickets behind Glenn McGrath.
Broad’s most famous Ashes spell came at Trent Bridge in 2015. He took 8 for 15 as Australia was dismissed for 60. His battles with opening batter David Warner also became a major part of recent Ashes contests.
Broad retired after the final Test of the 2023 series. He ended his career by hitting a six from his last ball as a batter and taking a wicket with his last ball as a bowler. England won the match to draw the series 2-2, while Australia retained the Ashes.
Which Active Bowler Has the Most Ashes Wickets?
Mitchell Starc leads all active players with 128 Ashes wickets. His position changed sharply during Australia’s 4-1 victory in 2025-26.
Starc took 31 wickets at an average of 19.93 across the five Tests. Cricket Australia published all 31 of Starc’s wickets from the series, confirming the performance that moved him into a tie for fifth place.
Nathan Lyon is the next active bowler in the top group with 115 Ashes wickets. Lyon played only two Tests in the 2025-26 series and took five wickets. Starc therefore has a 13-wicket lead among active players.
Neither player has passed Warne, McGrath, or Broad. Starc would need 68 more wickets to move beyond Warne’s total, which shows how difficult the record will be to break.
Who Took the Most Wickets in One Ashes Series?
Jim Laker holds the record with 46 wickets in the 1956 Ashes in England. The off-spinner averaged 9.60 runs per wicket across five Tests.
Laker’s greatest match came at Old Trafford. He took 9 for 37 in Australia’s first innings and all 10 wickets for 53 in the second. His match return of 19 for 90 remains the best in Test cricket.
The ICC Hall of Fame profile for Jim Laker confirms the 19-wicket match and his 10-wicket second innings.
Warne came closest among modern bowlers with 40 wickets in the 2005 Ashes. Mitchell Johnson took 37 wickets in 2013-14, while Starc claimed 31 in 2025-26.
| Bowler | Series | Wickets | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Laker | 1956 | 46 | Ashes series record |
| Shane Warne | 2005 | 40 | Best modern total |
| Mitchell Johnson | 2013-14 | 37 | Fast-bowling peak |
| Mitchell Starc | 2025-26 | 31 | Latest 30-wicket series |
Which Bowler Has the Best Figures in One Ashes Test?
Laker’s 19 for 90 at Old Trafford in 1956 is the best match analysis in Ashes history and all Test cricket. A team can lose no more than 20 wickets in a Test, so Laker claimed 19 of the 20 available Australian wickets.
He also owns the best innings figures in the rivalry with 10 for 53. Only a bowler who dismisses all 10 batters in one innings can equal that wicket count. Nobody can take 11 wickets in one innings because an innings ends after 10 dismissals.
Spin Bowlers and Fast Bowlers in the Top List
Both bowling styles have shaped the Ashes. Warne, Trumble, Noble, and Lyon represent spin in the current top 10 positions. McGrath, Broad, Lillee, Botham, Starc, Willis, and Anderson are pace bowlers.
Conditions influence how each group works. English weather may support swing and seam movement, while Australian pitches often offer pace and bounce. Skilled spinners still succeed in both countries by using flight, dip, accuracy, and changes of pace.
The list also covers very different eras. Trumble and Noble played when pitches, equipment, match schedules, and over lengths differed from modern cricket. Raw wicket totals are useful, but they don’t tell the full story about bowling quality across more than a century.
Common Mistakes When Reading Ashes Bowling Records
Counting Every England-Australia Test
An opponent-based list may include Tests that weren’t part of a recognized Ashes series. Use one consistent competition definition for every bowler.
Mixing Career Wickets with Series Wickets
Warne’s 195 is his career total across many Ashes series. Laker’s 46 is the record for one series.
Treating Bowling Average as a Wicket Total
Wickets count dismissals. Bowling average measures runs conceded per wicket. A lower average is better, but it doesn’t automatically mean the bowler has the highest total.
Combining Men’s and Women’s Ashes Records
The competitions have separate formats and record tables. The ranking in this article covers the men’s Ashes only.
Using a Table Published Before 2025-26
Starc added 31 wickets and reached 128 during the latest series. Lyon reached 115 after taking five wickets, so older tables may place both Australians lower.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has taken the most wickets in Ashes history?
Shane Warne leads the men’s Ashes record with 195 wickets in 36 Tests for Australia.
Who has the most Ashes wickets for England?
Stuart Broad holds England’s record with 153 wickets. He retired after the 2023 Ashes.
Who has taken the most wickets in one Ashes series?
Jim Laker took a record 46 wickets for England in the 1956 Ashes. His total included 19 wickets in one Test at Old Trafford.
Does the Ashes wicket record include every England-Australia Test?
No. A competition-specific Ashes table counts recognized Ashes series. Some opponent-based tables also include other England-Australia Tests, which creates different totals for several bowlers.
Could Mitchell Starc break Shane Warne’s record?
Starc has 128 Ashes wickets and needs 68 more to pass Warne’s 195. Reaching that number would require several more Ashes series and sustained wicket-taking success.
Conclusion
Shane Warne’s 195 wickets remain the benchmark in men’s Ashes cricket. Glenn McGrath follows with 157, while Stuart Broad owns England’s record with 153. Mitchell Starc’s 31 wickets in 2025-26 moved him to 128 and made him the leading active bowler.
Record definitions matter as much as the totals. A true Ashes table counts recognized Ashes series rather than every Test between England and Australia. Keeping that distinction clear makes the historical ranking easier to understand.
