Melbourne: Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has added another feather to his cap. Jasprit Bumrah now has the best Test bowling average among bowlers who have taken more than 75 wickets in the last 50 years. In the process the Indian pacer has left behind legends like West Indians Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner and Curtly Ambrose and Australian Glenn McGrath.
Leaving legends behind
Bumrah now has 76 wickets in his kitty in 16 Tests. He has got the wickets at an average of 20.68. Former West Indies pace bowler Malcolm Marshall is the next best. He has taken 376 wickets at an average of 20.94 in 81 Test matches. Marshall’s fellow West Indian Garner averages 20.97 with 259 wickets in 58 Tests to be at the third spot. Ambrose, with 405 wickets at 20.99 in 98 Test matches is just behind Garner.
Current Australia pace bowler Pat Cummins rounds off the top five with 153 wickets at an average of 21.51 in 32 Tests. He is just ahead of fellow Aussie Glenn McGrath who has 563 wickets at 21.64 in 124 Test matches.
Not looking at stats
Bumrah has taken eight wickets in the two Tests in Australia so far. He had figures of 4/56 and 2/54 in the just concluded MCG Test which India won by eight wickets. In the process India levelled the four-Test series at 1-1.
“I don’t look at stats and put unnecessary pressure on myself. I just look to do the basics,” Bumrah said after the game ended Tuesday.
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Bumrah had picked 21 wickets during India’s previous tour of Australia in 2018-19. He led the pace attack well in the second innings of the second Test even as Umesh Yadav limped off the field. Bumrah took the prized scalp of Steve Smith. He also broke the 57-run seventh wicket partnership when he got rid of Cummins Tuesday morning.
Hunting together
“The chat was to not complain about being a bowler short and to try and make the run-scoring hard for their batsmen. We were just trying to help each other and have good communication with each other,” Bumrah informed.
The 27-year-old has taken 15 wickets in two Tests at the MCG at an average of 13.06. He took nine for 86 in the 2018 Boxing Day Test and took six for 110 in the just-concluded game.