Bowlers are the unsung heroes in cricket. They toil hard, push their physical limits and over after over deliver their skills.
The right-handed fast bowler from Australia cricket team Pat Cummins ended the year as the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket in the calendar year 2019. Pat Cummins scalped 59 wickets in 12 matches this year in Tests at an average of 20.13 and the best bowling figures of 6/23.
Highest wicket takers in Test 2019
| Bowler | Wickets | Inns | Avg | Overs | BBI | SR |
| P Cummins (AUS) | 59 | 23 | 20.13 | 440 | 6/23 | 44.7 |
| N Lyon (AUS) | 45 | 23 | 33.26 | 515.3 | 6/49 | 68.7 |
| N Wagner (NZ) | 43 | 11 | 17.81 | 269.5 | 5/44 | 37.6 |
| S Broad (ENG) | 43 | 21 | 25.11 | 367.4 | 5/86 | 51.3 |
| M Starc (AUS) | 42 | 15 | 20.71 | 257 | 6/66 | 36.7 |
| Mohd. Shami (IND) | 33 | 16 | 16.66 | 194.2 | 5/35 | 35.3 |
| J Hazlewood (AUS) | 33 | 14 | 23.09 | 275.4 | 5/30 | 50.1 |
| K Rabada (SA) | 33 | 14 | 27.39 | 245.5 | 4/38 | 44.6 |
| T Southee (NZ) | 33 | 15 | 29.03 | 313.4 | 5/69 | 57.0 |
| J Archer (ENG) | 30 | 13 | 27.40 | 274 | 6/45 | 54.8 |
| K Roach (WI) | 27 | 12 | 18.07 | 193.5 | 5/17 | 43.0 |
| Ishant (IND) | 25 | 12 | 15.56 | 135.4 | 5/22 | 32.5 |
| Umesh Yadav (IND) | 23 | 8 | 13.65 | 88.4 | 5/53 | 23.1 |
| T Boult (NZ) | 23 | 12 | 29.13 | 210.5 | 5/123 | 55.0 |
| B Stokes (ENG) | 22 | 15 | 35.45 | 242.3 | 4/59 | 66.1 |
| Rashid Khan (Afg) | 21 | 6 | 15.76 | 121.3 | 6/49 | 34.7 |
| R Jadeja (IND) | 21 | 15 | 34.52 | 255.4 | 4/87 | 73.0 |
| J Holder (WI) | 20 | 10 | 17.25 | 151.2 | 5/77 | 45.4 |
| D Olivier (SA) | 20 | 8 | 21.75 | 110 | 5/51 | 33.0 |
| C Woakes (ENG) | 20 | 12 | 23.85 | 154.4 | 6/17 | 46.4 |
| R Ashwin (IND) | 20 | 9 | 24.15 | 173.2 | 7/145 | 52.0 |
| Moeen Ali (ENG) | 18 | 8 | 28.88 | 139.2 | 4/36 | 46.4 |
| V Fernando (SL) | 18 | 9 | 32.27 | 153.3 | 4/62 | 51.1 |
| Sam Curran (ENG) | 18 | 11 | 33.55 | 183.5 | 4/58 | 61.2 |
| SS Afridi (PAK) | 17 | 6 | 29.00 | 154 | 5/77 | 54.3 |
| R Chase (WI) | 17 | 10 | 29.41 | 149.4 | 8/60 | 52.8 |
| L Embuldeniya (SL) | 17 | 8 | 43.70 | 208 | 5/66 | 73.4 |
| V Philander (SA) | 15 | 11 | 28.13 | 169.2 | 4/16 | 67.7 |
| D Steyn (SA) | 15 | 8 | 29.60 | 122.1 | 4/48 | 48.8 |
| J Bumrah (IND) | 14 | 6 | 13.14 | 72.1 | 6/27 | 30.9 |
| S Lakmal (SL) | 14 | 8 | 23.28 | 131.5 | 5/75 | 56.5 |
| J Leach (ENG) | 14 | 9 | 34.92 | 151.4 | 4/49 | 65.0 |
| R Cornwall (WI) | 13 | 4 | 22.61 | 107.3 | 7/75 | 49.6 |
| K Rajitha (SL) | 13 | 7 | 29.30 | 96.4 | 3/67 | 44.6 |
| S Gabriel (WI) | 13 | 10 | 39.00 | 162.1 | 3/45 | 74.8 |
| J Anderson (ENG) | 12 | 9 | 30.16 | 135.1 | 5/46 | 67.5 |
| K Maharaj (SA) | 12 | 9 | 59.16 | 178.4 | 3/71 | 89.3 |
| J Pattinson (AUS) | 11 | 6 | 21.45 | 92 | 3/34 | 50.1 |
| C de Grandhomme (NZ) | 11 | 12 | 33.00 | 161 | 2/41 | 87.8 |
| L Kumara (SL) | 11 | 7 | 41.27 | 121 | 4/49 | 66.0 |
| Mohd. Abbas (PAK) | 11 | 8 | 44.63 | 169 | 4/55 | 92.1 |
| A Joseph (WI) | 10 | 6 | 23.8 | 66.2 | 2/12 | 39.8 |
| Ajaz Patel (NZ) | 9 | 4 | 26.88 | 86 | 5/89 | 57.3 |
| D de Silva (SL) | 9 | 11 | 31.33 | 91 | 3/25 | 60.6 |
| Abu Jayed (Ban) | 9 | 4 | 42.44 | 94.5 | 4/108 | 63.2 |
| Taijul Islam (Ban) | 9 | 5 | 55.66 | 143 | 4/116 | 95.3 |
| M Amir (PAK) | 8 | 4 | 24.62 | 73.4 | 4/88 | 55.2 |
| Naseem Shah (PAK) | 8 | 4 | 32.75 | 75.5 | 5/31 | 56.8 |
| M Marsh (AUS) | 7 | 2 | 12.28 | 29.2 | 5/46 | 25.1 |
| T Murtagh (Ire) | 7 | 4 | 16.14 | 54 | 5/13 | 46.2 |
| Y Ahmadzai (Afg) | 7 | 6 | 22.85 | 51 | 3/41 | 43.7 |
| Mohd. Nabi (Afg) | 7 | 4 | 27.00 | 78 | 3/36 | 66.8 |
| W Somerville (NZ) | 7 | 4 | 32.14 | 80.2 | 3/83 | 68.8 |
| P Siddle (AUS) | 7 | 6 | 42.14 | 97 | 2/52 | 83.1 |
| Amir Hamza (Afg) | 6 | 2 | 13.16 | 30.5 | 5/74 | 30.8 |
| M Wood (ENG) | 6 | 2 | 15.50 | 20.2 | 5/41 | 20.3 |
| M Adair (Ire) | 6 | 2 | 16.33 | 27.4 | 3/32 | 27.6 |
| F Ashraf (PAK) | 6 | 2 | 16.50 | 29 | 3/42 | 29.0 |
| S Thompson (Ire) | 6 | 4 | 18.50 | 35.2 | 3/28 | 35.3 |
| J Richardson (AUS) | 6 | 4 | 20.5 | 51 | 3/26 | 51.0 |
| A Dananjaya (SL) | 6 | 2 | 27.33 | 62 | 5/80 | 62.0 |
| A Nortje (SA) | 6 | 4 | 47.00 | 78.3 | 3/56 | 78.5 |
| Mehidy Hasan (Ban) | 6 | 4 | 79.83 | 116.1 | 2/35 | 116.1 |
| Yasir Shah (PAK) | 6 | 5 | 101.33 | 134.4 | 4/205 | 134.6 |
| Kuldeep (IND) | 5 | 1 | 19.80 | 31.5 | 5/99 | 38.2 |
| Shakib (Ban) | 5 | 2 | 24.40 | 41 | 3/58 | 49.2 |
| Zahir Khan (Afg) | 5 | 3 | 31.60 | 37 | 3/59 | 44.4 |
| M Labuschagne (AUS) | 5 | 14 | 55.8 | 78 | 1/5 | 93.6 |
| Ebadot Hossain (Ban) | 5 | 4 | 79.4 | 95 | 3/91 | 114.0 |
| M Santner (NZ) | 5 | 9 | 96.8 | 174 | 3/53 | 208.8 |
| D Perera (SL) | 5 | 7 | 112.80 | 168.2 | 3/114 | 202.0 |
| S Nadeem (IND) | 4 | 2 | 10.00 | 17.2 | 2/18 | 26.0 |
| Shadab Khan (PAK) | 4 | 2 | 20.00 | 21.3 | 3/41 | 32.2 |
| B Rankin (Ire) | 4 | 2 | 22.75 | 20 | 2/5 | 30.0 |
| W Salamkheil (Afg) | 4 | 2 | 25.25 | 31 | 2/35 | 46.5 |
| Nayeem Hasan (Ban) | 4 | 2 | 26.00 | 30 | 2/43 | 30.0 |
| Haris Sohail (PAK) | 4 | 4 | 27.00 | 29 | 2/75 | 43.5 |
| G Linde (SA) | 4 | 1 | 33.25 | 31 | 4/133 | 46.5 |
| J Root (ENG) | 4 | 10 | 74.75 | 72 | 2/26 | 108.0 |
| O Stone (ENG) | 3 | 1 | 9.66 | 12 | 3/29 | 24.0 |
| K Paul (WI) | 3 | 2 | 23.00 | 26 | 2/58 | 52.0 |
| Al-Amin (Ban) | 3 | 1 | 28.33 | 22.4 | 3/85 | 45.3 |
| J Cameron (Ire) | 3 | 2 | 39.33 | 23.5 | 2/94 | 47.6 |
| Hasan Ali (PAK) | 3 | 2 | 52.66 | 34 | 2/75 | 68.0 |
| A McBrine (Ire) | 3 | 3 | 53.00 | 50 | 2/77 | 100.0 |
| M Henry (NZ) | 3 | 3 | 64.66 | 57 | 1/40 | 114.0 |
| Mahmudullah (Ban) | 2 | 3 | 18.00 | 8 | 1/3 | 24.0 |
| D Pretorius (SA) | 2 | 2 | 24.50 | 24 | 1/23 | 72.0 |
| C Overton (ENG) | 2 | 2 | 53.50 | 33.5 | 2/85 | 101.5 |
| G Dockrell (Ire) | 2 | 2 | 60.50 | 40 | 2/63 | 120.0 |
| S Sarkar (Ban) | 2 | 3 | 64.50 | 31 | 2/68 | 93.0 |
| S Muthusamy (SA) | 2 | 3 | 90.00 | 37.3 | 1/63 | 112.5 |
| D Piedt (SA) | 2 | 3 | 155.00 | 54 | 1/101 | 162.0 |
| W Mulder (SA) | 1 | 2 | 12.00 | 7 | 1/6 | 42.0 |
| S Masood (PAK) | 1 | 2 | 19.00 | 6 | 1/19 | 36.0 |
| Qais Ahmad (Afg) | 1 | 2 | 28.00 | 9 | 1/22 | 54.0 |
| Jeet Raval (NZ) | 1 | 1 | 33.00 | 13 | 1/33 | 78.0 |
| D Elgar (SA) | 1 | 4 | 36.00 | 6.4 | 1/4 | 40.0 |
| D Karunaratne (SL) | 1 | 4 | 46.00 | 11.3 | 1/12 | 69.0 |
| Usman Khan (PAK) | 1 | 1 | 54.00 | 15 | 1/54 | 90.0 |
| K Brathwaite (WI) | 1 | 4 | 61.00 | 25 | 1/8 | 150.0 |
| J Warrican (WI) | 1 | 2 | 66.00 | 25 | 1/35 | 150.0 |
| D Chameera (SL) | 1 | 1 | 68.00 | 21 | 1/68 | 126.0 |
| Imran Khan (PAK) | 1 | 1 | 73.00 | 24 | 1/73 | 144.0 |
| Mustafizur (Ban) | 1 | 1 | 74.00 | 14 | 1/74 | 84.0 |
| C Karunaratne (SL) | 1 | 2 | 148.00 | 26 | 1/130 | 156.0 |
| T Astle (NZ) | 0 | 2 | – | 20 | 0/10 | – |
| K Ahmed (Ban) | 0 | 1 | – | 30 | 0/149 | – |
| Mominul (Ban) | 0 | 3 | – | 19 | 0/9 | – |
| Wafadar (Afg) | 0 | 2 | – | 16 | 0/24 | – |
| A Rashid (ENG) | 0 | 2 | – | 26 | 0/56 | 4.50 (ER) |
Bowling is tiring task and along with physical skills, it demands mental toughness as well. However, even after struggling hard, the bowlers seldom receive their credit. Most of the times, the batsmen bask in the glory while the bowlers go unnoticed.