Bumrah sets these records at MCG with 13th Test fifer
Jasprit Bumrah created a new record in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series against Australia, having taken his tally to 30 wickets, including three five-wicket hauls. His latest fifer came during the second innings of the ongoing fourth Test match in Melbourne. The feat has taken his overall wicket tally at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to 24, with an average of 14.66 and strike rate of 32.7.
Bumrah joins elite group of Indian bowlers at MCG
As per ESPNcricinfo, Bumrah's show has made him the third Indian bowler to have picked two five-wicket hauls at the MCG in Tests. He has joined Kapil Dev and BS Chandrasekhar. Among visiting bowlers, he now has the most Test wickets at MCG in the last 100 years. This takes him to the third spot in the list of highest wicket-takers among foreign pacers in Melbourne Tests, ahead of England's Billy Bates.
Bumrah's record-breaking spree continues in SENA Tests
Bumrah has also become the first Asian bowler to take four five-wicket hauls in SENA Tests in a single year. This includes a fifer against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town, and three more in the ongoing series. At 31, he now shares the record with Anil Kumble for the second-most five-wicket hauls by an Indian bowler in Australia in Test cricket (4 each). The duo is only behind Kapil Dev, who owns five such fifers.
Bumrah's performance leaves Australia scrambling for survival
On Day 4 of the Boxing Day Test, Bumrah's brilliance had Australia running for their lives. His unplayable lengths and late swing kept the hosts on their toes all the time. Bumrah's brilliance meant the Aussies were folded for 234 in the third innings and India were given a target of 340 runs. While he claimed four wickets on Day 4, he completed his fifer by putting the final nail in the coffin on Day 5 morning.
India's most successful Test bowler in SENA countries
Bumrah, who is currently ICC's number one Test bowler, has picked a staggering 71 wickets in the 13 matches he has played this year at 14.92. His latest show at MCG has etched his name in the history of cricket as India's most successful bowler in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia). In 30 matches in these countries, Bumrah has taken 143 wickets at 21-plus. He went past Kapil Dev's tally of 141 scalps.
Bumrah surpasses another Kapil Dev record
With Sam Konstas's dismissal in Australia's second innings, Bumrah went past Kapil to become the Indian pacer with most wickets in a Test series in Australia. He now leads the list with 30 wickets, five more than Kapil's record in the 1991/92 series. Late spinner Bishan Singh Bedi is the only Indian to have taken more wickets in a bilateral Test series in Australia (31 in 1977-78).
200 Test wickets for Bumrah
With his second wicket on Day 4, Bumrah became the fastest Indian pacer to complete 200 Test wickets. The pacer has now raced to 203 wickets in 44 matches. He also became the fastest Indian speedster to this milestone. Bumrah also set a new record for the best average among bowlers with 200+ Test wickets. He did so with a sub-20 average (19.42). The one at MCG was his 13th Test fifer.
How has the match proceeded?
Each of Australia's top-four batters slammed fifties as the hosts posted 474/10 batting first. Bumrah claimed four wickets. In reply, India managed 369/10 as centurion Nitish Reddy saved them from a collapse. Yashasvi Jaiswal (82) and Washington Sundar (50) also made vital contributions. Having earned a solid 105-run lead, the Aussies were powered by Labuschagne in the third innings as they finished at 234/10, setting India a target of 340 runs.
