No bowler before Jasprit Bumrah has reached 200 wickets with an average of less than 20. For a bowler whose Test career is filled with stunning dismissals, Bumrah’s 200th wicket was relatively simple – Travis Head flicking straight to midwicket. However, Bumrah reached this milestone with remarkable statistics, solidifying his place among the greatest bowlers.
Out of the 85 bowlers who have taken 200 or more Test wickets, 12 achieved this feat in fewer games than Bumrah, who was playing his 44th Test at the MCG.
In terms of bowling average, Bumrah is at the top with an average of 19.56 per wicket. He is the first bowler to concede fewer than 4000 runs for his first 200 wickets.
Bumrah’s strike rate of 42.4 – a wicket every seven overs – is only surpassed by Waqar Younis, Dale Steyn, and Kagiso Rabada, all experts with both the new and old ball.
Bumrah’s record in South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia also stands out. He holds the highest percentage of wickets for an Indian fast bowler in these countries.
Sixty-four of Bumrah’s first 200 wickets have been of top-three batters. He has dismissed openers 50 times (25%) and the number three batsman 14 times (7%). The number four position often represents the most renowned batter in the team, and Bumrah has dismissed the No. 4 batsman 30 times (15%). Bumrah’s percentage of top-four wickets (47%) is the seventh best overall and the best for India.
Among all batters, Bumrah has dismissed Joe Root the most (nine times). Pat Cummins follows with eight dismissals, and Travis Head comes next with six, including two dismissals in the MCG Test.
Bumrah’s excellence in all formats has meant India needs to carefully manage his workload. Since his debut in 2018, he has missed 18 out of 30 home Tests due to injuries or workload management, but only eight away Tests, primarily due to injury. As a result, 153 of his first 200 Test wickets have come away from home. His bowling average at home is superior to his away numbers, which are equally impressive.
India’s focus on keeping Bumrah fit for high-profile matches has meant more games against Australia and England, the two teams against whom he has claimed the most wickets. The one team he has struggled against is New Zealand: an average of 45.44 with just nine wickets from five Tests.
Bumrah averages an outstanding 14.4 for his 110 wickets in 20 Test wins for India. The next three Indian bowlers on this list, with a minimum of 100 wickets, are all spinners – Anil Kumble (18.75), R Ashwin (18.99), and Ravindra Jadeja (19.65).