Bumrah crosses major milestone with magical spell in Melbourne
The Indian pace spearhead struck five times in the second innings of the Boxing Day Test and removed Travis Head as his 200th Test wicket.
As Australia bested India in the Melbourne Test to take a 2-1 lead in the five-Test series, Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah extended his lead as the top-wicket taker in the ongoing series.
Bumrah snapped a five-wicket haul in the second innings, and managed to cross the 200 Test wicket milestone during his blitz. He became the 12th Indian bowler to do so.
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The 31-year-old now boasts a unique record, being the only bowler in Test history with a minimum of 200 dismissals and an average less than 20.
Close to him in the tally are former West Indies greats, Malcolm Marshall (20.94), Joel Garner (20.97) and Curtly Ambrose (20.99).
Best Test bowling average (min. 200 dismissals)
| Bowler | Average |
|---|---|
| Jasprit Bumrah (India) | 19.42 |
| Malcolm Marshall (West Indies) | 20.94 |
| Joel Garner (West Indies) | 20.97 |
| Curtly Ambrose (West Indies) | 20.99 |
| Fred Trueman (England) | 21.57 |
Among the active cricketers, Kagiso Rabada (321 Test wickets at 21.88) and Pat Cummins (286 at 22.68) are next in the tally.
Bumrah has been on an inspired run with the ball in the longest format, having claimed 71 wickets from 13 Tests in 2024 - his best annual tally.
The right-arm quick, who had led India to a mammoth win in Perth, has notched 29 wickets in the ongoing Test series in Australia with both the teams making a push for next year's ICC World Test Championship Final.
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