Jasprit Bumrah created history, became the first bowler to take 200 wickets at an average of 20.

Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah added a new chapter in cricket history on Sunday (29 December). Bumrah has become the first bowler to take 200 wickets at an average of less than 20 in Test cricket. He is currently playing his 44th Test match for India against Australia in Melbourne. Bumrah has taken 202 wickets at an excellent average of 19.38. He has achieved this feat leaving behind Joel Garner and Shawn Pollock.

Bumrah’s stormy bowling in the third innings

Bumrah pushed Australia on the backfoot with his lethal bowling in the second innings on the fourth day of the fourth Test.

• Start of 34th over:
  • Took his 200th wicket by getting Travis Head caught by Nitish Reddy.
  • After this, in the same over, Mitchell Marsh was caught out by Rishabh Pant.
• Third blow in the 35th over:
  • Australia’s sixth wicket fell by bowling Alex Carey.
• Bumrah’s performance:
  • 4 wickets for 28 runs in 13 overs.
  • Mohammad Siraj also took 3 wickets.

Australia’s lead and performance of Indian bowlers

• Australia scored 228/9 in the second innings, taking the total lead to 333 runs.
• By the end of the day’s play, Nathan Lyon (41) and Scott Boland (10) had made a partnership of 55 runs for the last wicket.
• India’s first innings:
  • Team India was all out for 369 runs in 116 overs.
  • Centurion Nitish Reddy scored 114 runs, but was out on the ball of Nathan Lyon.

Bumrah left the giants behind

In the list of bowlers who have taken more than 200 wickets, Bumrah’s average is the best in the world.

• Bumrah’s average: 19.5.
• All-Time Legends:
  • Malcolm Marshall: 20.0.
  • Joel Garner: 21.0.
  • Curtly Ambrose: 21.0.
• Bumrah has now come to the first position in this list, which shows his consistency and brilliant bowling skills.

Australia’s second innings: small contributions

Australian batsmen made small contributions for the team in the second innings:

• Sam Constas: Bowled by Bumrah on 8 runs.
• Usman Khawaja: Out after scoring 21 runs on Siraj’s ball.
• Steve Smith: Caught by Pant on 13 runs off Siraj’s ball.
• Marnus Labuschagne: Played an important inning of 70 runs.
• Captain Pat Cummins: Contributed 41 runs.

Struggle in India’s second innings

Apart from Mohammed Siraj (4*) and Nitish Reddy (114), no batsman could contribute much in India’s innings. The team could score only 369 runs in response to Australia’s 479 runs in the first innings.