Bumrah becomes third Indian pacer to take 50 Test wickets in calendar year

Jasprit Bumrah, on December 6 (Friday), became the third Indian fast bowler after Kapil Dev and Zaheer Khan to claim 50 wickets in Test cricket in a calendar year. 

The ace pacer achieved this feat when he dismissed Australian opener Usman Khawaja on day one of the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Adelaide.

Bumrah, who picked up eight wickets in the first Test at Perth and was named Player of the Match, had Khawaja caught at first slip as his 50th scalp of 2024. 

The 31-year-old India vice-captain also has the most wickets this year in Test cricket.

Kapil was the first Indian pacer to take 50 Test wickets in a calendar year. The all-rounder took 74 wickets in 17 Tests in 1979 and then achieved a similar feat in 1983 as well, taking 75 wickets in 18 Tests. Zaheer, in 2002, picked up 51 wickets in 15 Tests.

The record for most wickets taken by a pacer in a calendar year belongs to Australia’s Dennis Lillee - 85 wickets in 13 Tests in 1981. 

Overall, late Shane Warne has the most wickets in a calendar year - 96 scalps in 15 Tests in 2005.

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