Pat Cummins becomes first bowler to claim 200 WTC wickets
What's the story
Australian Pat Cummins has created history by becoming the first bowler to take 200 wickets in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).
He achieved the feat on Day 3 of the fifth and final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against India in Sydney.
Cummins bettered India's Ravichandran Ashwin and his Australian teammate Nathan Lyon's tally during the match.
The third WTC cycle has been extremely fruitful for Cummins, with 73 wickets from 17 Tests, including five five-wicket hauls.
Achievements
200 WTC wickets for Cummins
Cummins claimed figures worth 2/37 and 3/44 in the Sydney Test.
As per ESPNcricinfo, Cummins has raced to 200 wickets across 47 WTC games at 22.63.
His tally of nine WTC fifers is the fourth-most for any bowler (4W: 10).
Since his Test return in 2017 after a five-year gap, Cummins has taken a phenomenal 287 wickets.
This is the most by any fast bowler during this period.
Numbers
His numbers across different cycles
With 70 wickets at 21.02, Cummins was the second-highest wicket-taker of the inaugural WTC edition (2019-21).
He was marginally behind Ashwin, who snared 71 wickets.
The Aussie skipper claimed 57 scalps at 22.15 in the 2021-23 edition, fifth most for any bowler.
He is second on the list of the most wickets in the ongoing 2023-25 cycle with 73 scalps at 24.54.
Jasprit Bumrah leads the list with 77 wickets.
Bowling prowess
Cummins's exceptional strike rate and leadership
At 31, Cummins is the only Australian bowler to have a sub-47 strike rate in Tests (minimum 100 wickets).
His leadership skills were instrumental in Australia's 3-1 triumph in the recent series vs India.
He bowled the most overs in the series and claimed 25 wickets at 21.36, only second to Jasprit Bumrah (32).
The pacer has overall raced to 294 wickets across 67 Tests at 22.43 (5W: 13).
Summary
How did the SCG Test pan out?
India were bundled out for a paltry 185 on Day 1 with Scott Boland taking four wickets.
The Aussies managed 181/10 in response as debutant Beau Webster scored a fifty.
Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj snared three wickets apiece.
A fiery 61 from Rishabh Pant meant India managed 157/10 in their second outing. Boland took six wickets.
Chasing 162, the Aussies lost three early wickets but they eventually crossed the line in the second session of Day 3.