Mitchell Starc has added another major achievement to his outstanding Test career after becoming the most successful left arm bowler in the history of Test cricket.
The Australia fast bowler reached the landmark during the opening Test against Bangladesh in Darwin. Starc dismissed Bangladesh opener Shadman Islam to take his Test wicket tally to 434. The wicket moved him past former Sri Lanka spinner Rangana Herath, who ended his Test career with 433 wickets.
Starc entered the match level with Herath on 433 Test wickets. His dismissal of Shadman Islam therefore became a significant moment in the match and in his international career. The achievement came in Starc's 106th Test appearance.
Herath had previously held the record for the most Test wickets by a left arm bowler. The Sri Lankan spinner reached 433 wickets during a distinguished career and became one of the most successful bowlers in Test cricket. Starc has now moved ahead of him with 434 wickets.
The milestone is particularly notable because Starc and Herath achieved their records through very different bowling styles. Herath was a left arm orthodox spinner who built his career around accuracy, variation and sustained pressure. Starc, in contrast, is a left arm fast bowler known for his pace, swing and ability to generate movement with the new and old ball.
Starc's achievement highlights his consistency and longevity at the highest level. He made his Test debut in 2011 and has remained an important member of Australia's bowling attack for more than a decade.
The Australian pacer has also been one of the leading fast bowlers of his generation. His ability to produce wickets with both the new ball and the older ball has made him an important part of Australia's Test side.
The record came during a difficult opening day for Australia against Bangladesh. Australia were dismissed for 198 after Bangladesh's bowlers produced an impressive performance. Hasan Mahmud was the leading wicket taker for Bangladesh, claiming six wickets for 55 runs.
Despite Australia's struggles with the bat, Starc's individual milestone provided one of the major talking points of the day. His dismissal of Shadman Islam was Bangladesh's only wicket to fall during its first innings before the close of play.
Bangladesh finished the opening day on 96 for one, putting themselves in a strong position after restricting Australia to a modest first innings total. Tanzid Hasan and Mominul Haque helped the visitors recover after Shadman's dismissal.
For Starc, reaching 434 wickets also moved him level with another legendary Indian fast bowler. His current tally matches Kapil Dev's 434 Test wickets. Starc is now only five wickets behind Kapil's position if considering the next milestone, while reports note that South African fast bowling great Dale Steyn is on 439 wickets.
Starc therefore has another major landmark within reach. He needs six wickets to move beyond Steyn's 439 wickets and enter the top 10 of the all time Test wicket takers.
The achievement against Bangladesh is another chapter in Starc's decorated international career. He has represented Australia across Test and limited overs cricket and has been part of major tournament winning teams.
His international career has included World Cup success, and he has consistently remained one of Australia's leading wicket takers. His combination of pace, left arm angle and ability to attack the stumps has made him difficult for opposing batters to handle.
Starc's record is also significant because left arm bowlers have historically been less common than right arm bowlers in international cricket. The fact that he has now taken more Test wickets than every other left arm bowler demonstrates the exceptional length and consistency of his career.
Rangana Herath's previous record had stood as one of the major landmarks for left arm bowlers. Herath was the first left arm spinner to reach 400 Test wickets and finished his career with 433 wickets. He also became one of Sri Lanka's most successful Test bowlers.
Starc's achievement therefore represents a change at the top of a specialist category that had been dominated by a legendary spinner.
The timing of the milestone also adds interest because it came during Australia's first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin. The match itself has been notable for Bangladesh's strong start and Australia's batting collapse.
Australia's 198 was their lowest Test total against Bangladesh, according to match reports. Bangladesh's bowling attack took advantage of the conditions and consistently troubled the Australian batting lineup.
Steve Smith was Australia's leading batter with 71, but the rest of the batting order struggled to build partnerships. Bangladesh's bowlers maintained pressure throughout the innings and eventually bowled Australia out.
Starc's record wicket came during Bangladesh's reply. Although he was able to dismiss Shadman Islam, Bangladesh ended the day in a strong position.
The result means Starc's individual achievement came during a challenging day for the Australian team. While Australia will be looking for a stronger performance in the following stages of the Test, Starc can celebrate reaching a landmark that places him at the top of the left arm bowling records.
The next target for Starc will be the 439 wickets held by Dale Steyn. Reaching that mark would move him further up the all time Test wicket list and bring him closer to the leading bowlers in the history of the format.
At 434 wickets, Starc has already joined an elite group of Test bowlers. His tally is now equal to Kapil Dev's career total, while only a small number of wickets separate him from Steyn.
The milestone also underlines the importance of experience in Test cricket. Starc has continued playing at the highest level despite the physical demands placed on a fast bowler. Maintaining a long international career while regularly taking wickets requires fitness, skill and consistency.
For Australian cricket, Starc remains an important part of the Test bowling attack. His ability to take wickets with pace gives the team a valuable option, particularly when conditions provide assistance for fast bowlers.
For Bangladesh, meanwhile, the opening day of the Test was highly encouraging. The visitors bowled Australia out for 198 and reached 96 for one by stumps, leaving the match in a strong position.
The remaining stages of the Test will determine whether Bangladesh can maintain that advantage. Starc will be expected to play an important role with the ball as Australia attempt to recover.
Regardless of the final result, the first day will remain memorable for Starc. By dismissing Shadman Islam, he moved to 434 Test wickets and officially became the most successful left arm bowler in Test cricket history.
His record now stands ahead of Rangana Herath's 433 wickets, with Dale Steyn's 439 and the top 10 all time list next within reach.
Starc's latest achievement adds another milestone to an already remarkable career and further strengthens his place among the most successful fast bowlers of the modern Test era.