India’s fast bowling superstar, Jasprit Bumrah, has been the standout performer in the longest format of the game last year. He excelled in both the home and away conditions to be a key contributor for the blue brigade, raising tough questions to the opposition side to keep them in contention for the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25.
The pace bowler of India marked his return to the game in late 2023 in South Africa following his long absence due to a back injury. With an incredible wicket tally, he set multiple records. The right-arm fast bowler was instrumental for Rohit Sharma in their series win against England at home, besides displaying powerful performances in tough conditions in South Africa and Australia.
Bumrah finished the year with 71 Test wickets, keeping a fair distance from the second-placed Gus Atkinson (52 in11). Despite going through a shocking 357 overs in the format for the last 12 months, he maintained a phenomenal average of below three, breaking the aggressive batting of the modern-ear.
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His average of below 15 across the formats in the game was jaw-dropping, besides the annual strike rate of 30.1. The Gujarat-born became the fourth bowler of India to take more than 70 red-ball wickets in a calendar year, alongside Ravichandran Ashwin, Kapil Dev and Anil Kumble. In the format’s history, among all the 17 bowlers to pick 70+ wickets in a calendar year, Bumrah’s average is the lowest.
India’s Jasprit Bumrah named ICC Men’s Test Cricketer Of The Year 2024
India’s vice-captain was also part of the ICC Men’s Test team of the year. His incredible journey of the year began at the Newlands in Cape Town against South Africa, as he bagged eight wickets across two innings to help India pin down the Proteas by eight wickets.
At home against the Ben Stokes-led side, he picked up 19 wickets in the five Tests as the home side celebrated a fine victory by a 4-1 margin. The biggest contribution from the veteran came during the five-match Test series of the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 ended as the leading wicket-taker with an incredible 32 scalps. It was named the Player of the Series. It was during the series down under when he crossed the 200 Test wickets milestone to be India’s 12th bowler in the achievement.
The 31-year-old set a unique record while achieving the feat, becoming the only bowler in the history of the five-day format with a minimum of 200 dismissals at an average of less than 20. Among all of his remarkable displays, the best came during the opening game of the BGT 2024-25 at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
In the absence of India’s regular captain, Rohit Sharma, who was out of the Western Test due to the birth of his child, Bumrah led the two-time WTC runners-up to a 295-run victory to go 1-0 up in the series, as he earned the ‘Player of the Match’ award, thanks to eight wickets in two innings.
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With India getting bundled out for just 150 in the first innings in just two sessions of the trip, the onus was on the bowlers to deliver some magical performances. Bumrah wreaked havoc with the ball against the home side to finish with a five-wicket haul thanks to figures of 5/30 in the first innings.
Bumrah’s injury has been a huge concern for the national side, as the BCCI has been waiting hard to get his fitness report before the start of the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, scheduled to take place on February 19.