Which bowler has the best bowling average in Test cricket (minimum 20 wickets)?

George Lohmann has the best Test-cricket bowling average among bowlers who took at least 20 wickets.

The English right-arm medium-fast bowler took 112 wickets in 18 Tests between 1886 and 1896, conceding 1,205 runs. That produces a remarkable career bowling average of 10.75 runs per wicket, the lowest recorded in Test cricket under this qualification. Bowling average measures runs conceded divided by wickets taken, so a lower number is better.

Lohmann’s figures were built during an era when uncovered pitches could become extremely difficult for batters, but his record was not merely a product of conditions. He claimed nine five-wicket hauls and five ten-wicket match hauls. His best innings figures were 9 for 28, and his best match return was 15 for 45.

The commonly suggested alternatives are all outstanding bowlers, but their career averages are higher: Glenn McGrath averaged 21.64, Shane Warne 25.41, and Muttiah Muralitharan 22.72. A minimum-wickets qualification matters because tiny samples can produce misleading averages; Lohmann comfortably exceeds the 20-wicket threshold.