Jasprit Bumrah continues domination in Australia with all-time record

Yet another day of Jasprit Bumrah’s supremacy, as the Indian pacer scripted a new record with the most wickets for an Indian bowler in Tests Down Under on December 18. The right-arm pacer went past the legendary Kapil Dev’s record when he dismissed Marnus Labuschagne on the fifth day of the Gabba Test with his 52nd wicket in Australia.

Unlike the former Indian skipper, the 31-year-old took nearly 170 fewer overs to go past Dev’s record, with a stellar average of 17.2 and a strike rate of 41.5. On the other hand, Dev picked up his 51 wickets at an average of 24.6 and a slightly higher strike rate (61.5). 

The duo have played almost the same number of Tests Down Under but Bumrah’s influence on the Indian side has been quite a distinguishable factor. It is not even a question of whether Bumrah is currently the best bowler in world cricket, let alone on this tour. 

Thus far, the Indian vice-captain has bagged 20 wickets on the tour, at an astonishing average of 10.8, with one four-wicket haul and two five-wicket hauls, including one in the six-wicket show in the first innings of the Gabba Test. 

Only Mohammed Siraj (11) has picked up wickets in double figures apart from Bumrah on this tour for the Men in Blue, showing how much India have been dependent on the Indian vice-captain to drive them forward. Not just that, Bumrah also has the best bowling average for a visiting bowler in Australia (since 1900), at 17.21, ahead of Sir Richard Hadlee (17.83).

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