3 fast-bowling records Jasprit Bumrah can break soon
For a land that has produced innumerable batting superstars, Jasprit Bumrah has attained that status among fast bowlers in India. The Gujarat seamer has arguably been the most valuable cog in India's set-up ever since he sprung onto the international circuit in 2016.
With 320 international scalps to his name across 30 Tests, 72 ODIs, and 60 T20Is, he has established himself as a bona fide match-winner. It's hard to fathom an Indian team across formats without Bumrah. His absence was dearly felt during the T20 World Cup in Australia a few weeks ago.
While a back stress fracture means that he finds himself on the road to recovery, there is never a right or wrong time to wax lyrical over the wonder that Bumrah is. He has broken a fair few records throughout the course of his career and seems destined for more.
As one of India's greatest fast bowlers turns 29 today (December 6), let's look at three records he could break soon once he regains complete fitness.
#1 Fastest Indian seamer to reach 200 Test wickets
The record for this currently stands with the great Kapil Dev, who broke the 200-wicket barrier in his 50th Test. The overall Indian record stands with off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who took 37 Tests to breach 200 Test scalps.
Bumrah currently has 128 scalps from 30 outings in Test cricket. With a good 20 Tests left to take the Indian fast-bowling record away from Kapil, the bowling superstar will fancy his chances.
It would, in fact, be a surprise if he doesn't. More so, when you look at a bowling average of 21.99 and a strike rate of 48.97 in his career thus far.
#2 Most five-wicket hauls by an Indian in ODIs
Five-wicket hauls aren't as common a phenomenon in ODIs as they are in Tests. For the record, only two bowlers in men's ODI history have scalped a five-wicket haul 10 times or more, while the corresponding number is 14 as far as bagging a five-fer five times or more is concerned.
The Indian record in men's ODIs is jointly held by Javagal Srinath and Harbhajan Singh, who both have three five-fers to their name. Bumrah already has two, as do a host of other Indians, with the latest of those coming against England at The Oval in July this year.
It's hard to put it past him to re-write the record books and become the first Indian to bag an ODI five-wicket haul four times. With a number of matches lined up next year in the build-up to the 2023 ODI World Cup, he could just add that feather to his already illustrious cap of achievements.
#3 Most wickets by an Indian fast bowler in the IPL
Simply put, Bumrah's record in the IPL is staggering. That he has bagged 145 wickets at an economy rate of 7.39, for someone who operates upfront and in death overs is phenomenal.
While he sits 10th in the all-time list of leading wicket-takers in the league, he is second only to Bhuvneshwar Kumar among Indian fast-bowlers. Only nine wickets separate the two and Bumrah could reduce the gulf pretty quickly come the IPL 2023 season.
It shouldn't be a surprise if he overtakes his national bowling partner too, while also setting his eyes on Lasith Malinga's record of most wickets for a single franchise (170), coincidentally for the Mumbai Indians again.
What other record do you think Jasprit Bumrah could break once he returns from injury? Let us know in the comments section below!
Also read: 3 attributes Jasprit Bumrah will add to the Indian team when he returns