Best Test bowling average in a calendar year (50+ wickets)
Team India has a glorious history of producing world-class cricketers, including legendary batters and bowlers. One of them is Jasprit Bumrah, who had a dream year in 2024 across formats. He was particularly lethal in Tests as no other bowler took more wickets than him in whites. Bumrah also attained the third-best bowling average in a calendar year among players with 50+ wickets (Tests).
Imran Khan (Pakistan): 13.29 in 1982
As per ESPNcricinfo, former Pakistan captain Imran Khan owns the best Test bowling average in a calendar year. He snapped up 62 wickets in just nine Tests at an incredible average of 13.29 in 1982. His tally includes 5 five-wicket hauls and two match hauls of 10 wickets. Khan had a stunning economy rate of 2.09 in this regard.
Sydney Barnes (England): 14.14 in 1912
England's Sydney Barnes occupies the second spot on this elite list. His record dates back to 1912. The former England seamer took 61 wickets from nine Tests at a remarkable average of 14.14 that year. He recorded a staggering 8 five-wicket hauls and three match hauls of 10 wickets. Barnes had an exceptional bowling strike-rate of 36.0 that year.
Jasprit Bumrah (India): 14.92 in 2024
Bumrah's brilliance in 2024 earns him the third spot. He picked an incredible 71 Test wickets in just 26 innings, averaging just 14.92. This includes five fifers and four four-wicket hauls. Bumrah's best came against England in Vishakhapatnam, where he picked six wickets for just 45 runs. Notably, no other bowler has scalped 65-plus Test wickets in a calender year at a sub-15 average.
200 Test wickets at sub-20 average
During the recently-concluded Boxing Day Test between Australia and India, Bumrah became the first-ever bowler to take 200 Test wickets while averaging below 20. Bumrah's average at the time of his 200th scalp plunged to 19.46.
