On Day 1 of the second Test of the 2025-26 The Ashes at Brisbane, veteran Australian left-arm quick Mitchell Starc rewrote the record books.
By dismissing England’s Harry Brook for 31, caught by Steve Smith at second slip, Starc picked up his 415th Test wicket — surpassing the tally of legendary pacer Wasim Akram, whose 414-wicket mark had stood for decades.
The 35-year-old achieved this historic feat in just his 102nd Test, after a blistering opening spell in which he had already removed Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks at the very start of the session — setting a dominant tone for the hosts.
From a promising youngster to an all-time great: Starc’s journey
Starc made his international debut in a One-Day International (ODI) against India on 20 October 2010.
His Test debut followed on 1 December 2011 at Brisbane’s Gabba against New Zealand; though the start was modest — he took only two wickets — it marked the beginning of a steady rise.
Over the years, Starc transformed himself into one of the most feared fast bowlers in world cricket.
Known for lethal inswingers to right-handers, toe-crushing yorkers, and consistent pace even on slow wickets, his unusual angle and relentless rhythm made him a nightmare for batsmen across formats.
He has been a key member of several Australian triumphs — notably during the 2015 World Cup, where he emerged as Player of the Tournament, and again across multiple Ashes and Test series.
Blazing through the 2025-26 Ashes
This season’s Ashes have seen Starc return to peak form. In the first Test at Perth, he delivered a career-best 7 for 58 — his best-ever single-innings haul — demolishing England for just 172. That spell helped him notch a historic ten-wicket match haul, the first by an Australian bowler in an Ashes Test in over three decades.
Coming into the second Test at the Gabba without fellow lead-pacers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood — both injured — Starc shouldered the responsibility of spearheading the attack. And how he responded: two early wickets, followed by Brook’s dismissal for the record-breaking scalp.
Many analysts now regard him as the greatest left-arm seamer in the history of Test cricket — a “pink-ball wizard” whose mastery with the red and pink ball under lights has been decisive.
What’s next for Starc?
At 35, Starc shows no signs of slowing down. His resurgence in the 2025–26 season has once again underscored his fitness and adaptability.
With more matches ahead in The Ashes — and possibly other series — he remains a major wicket-taking threat.
His achievement also puts him in rarefied company: only a handful of fast bowlers in history have managed to sustain this level of excellence across so many years.
As he continues to lead the Australian pace attack, cricket fans and experts are already speculating: could Starc break further records — and perhaps finish as Australia’s highest Test wicket-taker among fast bowlers?
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