Jasprit Bumrah traps Khawaja for fifth time in BGT 2024-25
Jasprit Bumrah, the spearhead of the Indian cricket team, has once again shown his worth by trapping Australian batter Usman Khawaja on the first day of the fourth Test match at Melbourne Cricket Ground. This was the fifth time in six innings that Bumrah has outsmarted Khawaja in this series. The wicket came at a crucial juncture, possibly swinging momentum back toward India after Australia's blistering start.
Australia's strong start and Bumrah's timely intervention
Australia started the day on a high, with debutant Sam Konstas scoring a quick 60 off 65 balls. His performance took Australia to 112 for one at lunch. After Konstas's dismissal, Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne added another 65 runs for the second wicket. However, Bumrah's strategic move in the second session paid off as he dismissed Khawaja for 57, leaving Australia at 154 for two.
Bumrah's dominance over Khawaja in the series
Bumrah's dismissal of Khawaja wasn't a one-off but a pattern in this series. In six innings, Bumrah has bowled 87 deliveries to Khawaja, giving away just 24 runs and taking his wicket five times, as per ESPNcricinfo. The only exception was in the second innings of the first Test in Perth when Mohammed Siraj dismissed Khawaja instead. This consistent performance highlights Bumrah's dominance over Khawaja in the series.
Bumrah joins these names
Notably, Bumrah could not trap Khawaja even once across seven Test innings prior to this series. The pacer now owns the joint-third-most dismissals against the Aussie opener in Test cricket. He joined former England off-spinner Graeme Swann and South African speedster Kagiso Rabada in this regard. England duo of Stuart Broad (8 times) and Chris Woakes (6) are the only ones to dismiss Khawaja more times.
Vital fifty for Khawaja
Khawaja made 57 off 121 balls as he smoked six boundaries. The southpaw's previous scores in this series read 21, 8, 13, 9*, 8 & 4. Meanwhile, Bumrah has been on a roll in this series as he completed 22 wickets with the dismissal of Khawaja. No other bowler owns even 15 scalps as the Indian pacer's average is under 13.
