Jasprit Bumrah's top 3 bowling performances in overseas tours
Jasprit Bumrah was the captain of the Indian Test team for the 5th and final Test of the Pataudi Trophy. Yet, it feels like only yesterday when he made his Test debut under Kohli’s captaincy in 2018.
Over the years, the 28-year-old has risen the ranks to become the leader of India’s pace attack in all three formats of the game and is arguably the best pace bowler in the world.
With that in mind, let’s look at Jasprit Bumrah’s top three bowling performances in overseas Tests.
#3 3rd Test, Johannesburg, January 24 - 27, 2018, South Africa vs India
That's the 7th overseas Test fifer for Bumrah!
Johannesburg 2018 ✅
Nottingham 2018 ✅
Melbourne 2018 ✅
Kingston 2019 ✅
Antiuga 2019 ✅
Nottingham 2021 ✅
Capetown 2022 ✅
One of the best in world currently! https://t.co/xwK3jtFq0H
Despite South Africa taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, the visitors were keen on ending the series on a high after going toe-to-toe in the first two matches.
Batting first on a bouncy pitch, Team India were all out in the first innings for a paltry 187 runs.
It was important for the Indians to ensure that the Proteas did not get away with a big first-innings lead, as that might lead to an embarrassing whitewash. With that in mind, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ishant Sharma were keen on getting the wickets fast with quick, fiery bowling and not giving the batsman any room.
However, it would take until the 41st over of the innings before Bumrah got his first wicket of the innings. It was the massive wicket of Proteas captain Faf du Plessis for just eight runs, leaving the home team stranded at 107-5. Bumrah pitched the ball up and forced du Plessis to play, losing his off stump.
He got the wicket of Quinton de Kock not long after with an inside edge to wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel, and then the prized wicket of Hashim Amla for 61. It was then easy business for the lanky pacer, knocking off tailenders Phehlukwayo and Ngidi inside three deliveries to get his first-ever test five-wicket haul.
More importantly, the Proteas were restricted to just 194, ensuring the Indian team got a second chance at winning the game, which they handsomely did by 63 runs.
#2) 1st Test, North Sound, August 22 - 25, 2019, West Indies vs India
Wow.
Jasprit Bumrah has figures of 8-4-7-5 😱
West Indies are in serious trouble.
#WIvIND Live 🔽
bit.ly/WIvsInd7 https://t.co/8lW4POFVHi
India’s first assignment in the newly inaugurated World Test Championship saw them tour West Indies for a two-match series, with 120 points at stake for test mace holders. The home side won the toss and put India to bat, scoring a useful 297 in their first innings.
In reply, the West Indies managed only 222 in their first innings as Ishant Sharma returned with an impressive 5-43. India followed up with a humongous 343/7 declaration as they set the home side with a target of 419 to chase in the fourth innings.
The West Indian openers walked onto the pitch with the intent of saving the game. However, both were gone by the fourth over as Bumrah cleaned them up in successive overs. Ishant Sharma joined the party too with two wickets, reducing the West Indies to a humiliating 13-4.
Bumrah continued bowling length balls outside off stump, and it kept working as he got DM Bravo at 15-5, Shai Hope at 27-6, and Jason Holder at 37-7. Mohammad Shami and Ishant Sharma shared the remaining spoils as the Windies got all out for 100. Jasprit Bumrah finished the innings at an unbelievable 5-7, leaving the batters no clue how to face him.
#1) 3rd Test, Melbourne, December 26 - 30, 2018, Australia vs India
Happy memories for India at the MCG on this day in 2018!
Virat Kohli’s men retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with Jasprit Bumrah claiming Player of the Match honours in the tourists' 137-run victory 🇮🇳 https://t.co/UiFkUFQSIV
With the intense series leveled at 1-1, the Boxing Day test in Melbourne was the stage to perform for many players in this test, with many Australians growing up dreaming of playing a Test on Boxing Day.
India won the toss and chose to bat first on a very flat pitch that offered nothing to the Australian seamers on day 1. Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli, in particular, toiled the Aussie bowlers as the team's score was 443-7.
However, the pitch that was so helpless for the home bowlers proved enough for Jasprit Bumrah and the Indian attack, taking wickets at regular intervals without allowing any batsman to settle.
A short ball from Bumrah dismissed Harris at 36-2, and a slower ball trapped Shaun Marsh plumb with the scoreboard reading 89-4. Then, in arguably the most beautiful wicket of the match, he got Travis Head clean bowled off a beautiful inswinger that the batsman didn't see coming.
At 147-7, it looked like the Australians could score enough to avoid a follow-on at the bare minimum. However, skipper Virat Kohli brought Jasprit Bumrah back into the attack.
He quickly dismissed Tim Paine, Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood to get the home side all out for just 151, finishing with a stupendous 6-33 as his final figures for the innings. Despite a lead of 292, India did not enforce a follow-on. They chose to quickly score 106-8 and declare, and got Australia all out for 261.
A massive 161-run victory for the touring side saw them lead the series 2-1 with a match to spare, with Jasprit Bumrah getting three more wickets in the second innings earned him the Player of the Match in the historic Boxing Day Test.