From Wanderers to Antigua - how Jasprit Bumrah has become an instant hit in Test cricket

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  • Bumrah continues to break records.

    Jasprit Bumrah’s meteoric rise in the Test format shows no signs on stopping nearly 18 months since he made his debut in South Africa with the India pacer adding another five-wicket haul to his name against the West Indies on Sunday.

    The 25-year-old was literally unplayable at Antigua in the second innings with his eight overs fetching five wickets while leaking just seven runs. Bumrah’s sensational spell saw West Indies fold for 100 runs in the second innings to hand India a thumping 318-run win in the first Test.

    With his figures of 5-7 at Antigua, Bumrah has now picked up five-wicket hauls in South Africa, England, Australia and the West Indies and that too in his maiden tours to the four countries.

    It is a feat which has not been attained by any other Asian bowler in history with even the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Muttiah Muralitharan and Anil Kumble falling short of claiming that honour.

    Bumrah’s latest achievement came days after he brought up a half-century of Test dismissals in just his 11th appearance in the format. No other Indian pacer in history has reached the mark as quickly as Bumrah who is showing signs that he is on his way to becoming the greatest fast bowler ever produced by the nation.

    The Ahmedabad-born pacer now has a career bowling average of 20.63, 21.88 and 20.17 in the Test, ODI and T20 formats respectively which is nothing short of stellar after a total of 111 international appearances

    Here, we take a look back at all four of Bumrah’s five-wicket hauls so far in Tests starting with his Antigua heroics.

    1st Test West Indies and India, Antigua

    5-7 (Second innings)

    The India pacer was off-colour and down on pace in the first innings in his first international appearance since the World Cup and was able to pick up just one wicket while leaking 55 runs in 18 overs.

    However, he was completely transformed in a terrific opening spell in the second innings which saw the West Indies collapse to 27-6. Five of those six wicket were claimed by Bumrah with the pacer showing he has now added an excellent out-swinger to his already formidable armoury.

    Three of his dismissals were against left-handers who were all bamboozled by the incoming delivery. The seven runs conceded by Bumrah is the least by any Indian bowler to have claimed a five-wicket haul.

    3rd Test Australia and India, Melbourne (2018)

    6-33 (First innings)

    With the four-match series level at 1-1, there was all to play for when Australia and India locked horns at Melbourne in the third Test and it was Bumrah who turned out to be the match-winner.

    India has posted a massive 443 runs in the first-innings before Bumrah’s heroics blew the hosts away for just 151 runs in response. The pacer claimed 6-33 in his 16 overs including the important wickets of Travis Head, Shaun Marsh and Marcus Harris to seal a decisive first-innings lead for India.

    He then went on to claim a further three wickets in the second innings to help India clinch a 137-run win that would eventually pave the way for their first Test series win on Aussie soil.

    Bumrah's heroics were pivotal in India sealing a Test series win Down Under.

    Bumrah’s heroics were pivotal in India sealing a Test series win Down Under.

    3rd Test England and India, Trent Bridge (2018)

    5-85 (Second innings)

    India found themselves trailing 0-2 heading into the Trent Bridge clash with Bumrah having to sit out both losses due to an injury. The pacer made an instant impact in his first Test appearance in England with a seven-wicket match haul at Nottingham to help India towards a 203-run win.

    Bumrah picked two wickets in the England first-innings but it was in the second where his most important contribution came. The hosts were set a humungous target of 521 runs to win and they eventually folded for 317 with Bumrah claiming 5-85.

    The India man sent back Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and centurion Jos Buttler among his five dismissals to announce himself in style to the English crowds.

    Instant impact by Bumrah in his first Test in England.

    Instant impact by Bumrah in his first Test in England.

    3rd Test South Africa and India, Johannesburg (2018)

    5-54 (first innings)

    Virat Kohli’s men had already lost the three-match series by the time the third Test started after defeats at Newlands and Centurion but they were able to restore some pride with an excellent 63-run win at the Wanderers.

    Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar turned out to be the protagonists of India’s win after the visitors posted 187 in the first innings with the former picking up 5-54 to restrict South Africa’s lead to just seven runs.

    The hosts were chasing a target of 241 runs in the second innings but were bundled out for 177 after Bumrah claimed the crucial wickets of AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock.

    Bumrah's seven match wickets paved the way for a famous India win.

    Bumrah’s seven match wickets paved the way for a famous India win.

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