List of youngest spinners to take 50 Test wickets ft. Shoaib Bashir and Harbhajan Singh

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England’s rising spin sensation, Shoaib Bashir, etched his name into the annals of cricket history on Friday, becoming the youngest Englishman to claim 50 Test wickets.

The right-arm off-spinner achieved this significant milestone during the ongoing one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, surpassing a long-standing national record previously held by paceman Steven Finn.

Bashir, who is 21 years and 222 days old, reached the 50-wicket mark in his 16th Test match. This feat sees him eclipse Finn’s record, who achieved his 50th wicket at 22 years and 62 days in 2011.

The historic wicket for Bashir came during Zimbabwe’s first innings when he dismissed visiting captain Craig Ervine for 42 runs. Delivering a perfectly flighted ball on middle and leg stump, Bashir induced an outside edge that was sharply caught by Harry Brook at first slip, igniting enthusiastic celebrations within the England camp. He quickly followed up with another crucial wicket, further consolidating England’s dominant position after their formidable first-innings total.

Since making his Test debut in February 2024 against India, Bashir has rapidly cemented his place as a vital component of England’s bowling attack. His 50 wickets have been scalped in just 26 innings, maintaining a bowling average of 39.92. Impressively, he already boasts three five-wicket hauls in his nascent Test career.

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For India, Harbhajan Singh holds the record as the youngest spinner to reach 50 Test wickets. The ‘Turbanator’ achieved this milestone at a tender age of just 20 years and 258 days on March 18, 2001. Harbhajan reached this landmark during a memorable series against Australia, where he quickly established himself as a pivotal figure in the Indian bowling attack. Other notable young Indian spinners who reached the 50-wicket mark early in their careers include Ravi Shastri (21 years, 131 days), Maninder Singh (21 years, 197 days) and Narendra Hirwani (21 years, 281 days).

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