It was a year which saw the shortest Test in history. It was also the year when India won their second T20 World Cup. It was a year when Joe Root piled on six Test hundreds and it was a year which saw a record-breaking numbers for batters in the IPL. However, what 2024 will really be remembered for is the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah. It was the year when Boom Boom Bumrah went from being a modern sensation to an all-time great.
We look at some numbers which define Bumrah’s performance across formats in the calendar year.
The second-most Test wickets in a year in this century
Bumrah was in devastating form with the red (and pink) ball in 2024. He bagged a whopping 71 wickets from just 13 matches at a stunning average of 14.9 and strike rate of 30.1 in the calendar year. He was leaps and bounds ahead of competition – the second-highest wicket-taker – Gus Atkinson of England – was a good 19 wickets behind Bumrah.
The Indian speedsters’ strike rate was the best amongst all bowlers who picked a minimum of 25 wickets in 2024. Bumrah bagged five fifers in 2024 which were the most for any bowler in the calendar year. Only one fast bowler – Dale Steyn – has picked more wickets in a calendar year since the turn of the century than Bumrah. The South African great returned with 74 wickets in 2008 but at a higher average of 20. Overall, amongst Indian pacers, Kapil Dev bagged 75 wickets in 18 Tests in 1983 and 74 wickets in 17 Tests in 1979.
The Player of the Tournament of the 2024 T20 World Cup
phenomenally restrictive with an economy rate of just 4.17 – given what had transpired in the biggest T20 franchise tournament in the world just prior to the World Cup – where bat dominated ball like never before – it was an astonishing performance by Bumrah! Bumrah was as effective in the powerplay as he was at the death. He picked 5 wickets in the first six overs at an economy of 4.1 and 7 in the slog overs at a strike rate of 10 and economy of 4.4.
The most wickets for an Indian pacer in an Away Test series
Bumrah has been unplayable in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under and has already bagged 30 wickets at a mind-boggling average of 12.83 and strike rate of 28.2. He was the Player of the Match in the series opener at Perth where he picked 8 wickets (including 7 of the top and middle order). Bumrah led India’s fightback in Brisbane and Melbourne returning with two more fifers. His performance in Australia in the series has been rated amongst the best ever by any visiting fast bowler in the country.
Bumrah is set to surpass Kapil Dev’s record of most wickets for an Indian pacer in a Test series – the great all-rounder bagged 32 wickets in 6 Tests against Pakistan at home in 1979. However, Bumrah’s 30 wickets in the current series are the most for an Indian pace bowler in an Away series.
The highest impact bowler of the 2024 Indian Premier League
In a pathbreaking season, where bat dominated ball like never before, run-rates soared, a record number of sixes were hit and highest team scores were broken for fun, there was one bowler who stood out amongst the carnage for his outstanding returns.
Bumrah led the Mumbai Indians’ attack through the season without much support from the other end and returned with 20 wickets in just 13 matches at a strike rate of 15.55 and economy of 6.48 – making him the most restrictive bowler of the tournament. Just for perspective, the combined economy of the other MI bowlers was 10.6. Bumrah returned with three-plus wickets in an innings in four matches and an economy of less than 7 in nine – a monumental achievement in a tournament where most bowlers were reduced to mere bowling machines!
Faster than Malcom Marshall to 200 Test wickets
Bumrah created history by becoming the fastest Indian bowler to 200 Test wickets achieving the feat when he dismissed Travis Head in the second innings of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. Bumrah reached the milestone in 8484 deliveries surpassing Mohammed Shami who had taken 9896 balls to reach the landmark. Overall, Bumrah is the fourth quickest bowler to the 200-Club after Waqar Younis (7725), Dale Steyn (7848) and Kagiso Rabada (8154).
He was quicker to the milestone than the great Malcolm Marshall who took 9234 deliveries and is at number 5! The best bowling average in the history of Test cricket Bumrah has a bowling average of 19.42 which is the lowest (best-ever) in Test cricket history amongst the 85 bowlers who have bagged a minimum of 200 wickets. His strike rate of 42.2 is the second-best after Kagiso Rabada (39.4). This is a staggering achievement and places Bumrah amongst the greatest fast bowlers of all-time!
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