A statistical breakdown of Jasprit Bumrah’s Test performances as he becomes No. 1 bowler in the format

Team India speedster Jasprit Bumrah created history on Wednesday, February 7, becoming the first Indian fast bowler to achieve the No. 1 ranking in Test cricket. In the updated ICC Men's player rankings, the pacer climbed three places to move to the top, replacing teammate Ravichandran Ashwin, who has moved down to third position.

As per the latest ranking, Bumrah has 881 points to his name and is followed by South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada (851). Ashwin (841) completes the top three, with Australian captain Pat Cummins (828) at No. 4 and his teammate and fellow fast bowler Josh Hazlewood (818) at No. 5.

Speaking of Bumrah’s enormous achievement, the 30-year-old surpassed Indian legend Kapil Dev, who was No. 2 in the retrospective Test bowling rankings from December 1979 to February 1980, according to ESPNcricinfo. Former left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan was ranked third in October-November 2010.

In the wake of his historic achievement, we undertake a detailed statistical analysis of how Bumrah reached the numero uno position in the Test format.

---

Overall Test stats of Jasprit Bumrah

Having made his debut against South Africa in Cape Town in January 2018, Bumrah has so far featured in 34 Tests in which he has claimed 155 wickets at an average of 20.19, with 10 five-wicket hauls.

The right-arm pacer also has four four-fers to his credit. He has best innings bowling figures of 6/27 and best match bowling figures of 9/86. Speaking of his economy rate, it stands at 2.71, while he has a strike rate of 44.5.

---

Home vs away record

Amazingly, Bumrah has played only six Test matches at home but possesses an incredible record. In these games, he has claimed 29 wickets at an average of 13.06, with two five-wicket hauls.

In away Tests as well, his performances have been exceptional. In 27 Test matches, he has snared 126 scalps, averaging 21.10, with as many as eight five-wicket hauls.

The 30-year-old fast bowler has played one Test at a neutral venue, which was the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand in Southampton in June 2021.

The Test marked one of his rare poor performances in the red-ball format. He went wicketless in both innings as the Kiwis were crowned inaugural world Test champions by winning the summit clash by eight wickets.

---

Performances in winning Tests vs losing Tests

The pacer during the 2020-21 tour of Australia. (Pic: Getty Images)

Bumrah has featured in 15 Test matches that India have won and possesses a superb record in these games. The fast bowler has claimed 87 wickets in these 15 Tests, averaging 14.04, with eight five-wicket hauls.

On the other hand, the pacer has been part of 16 Tests that India have lost and the numbers prove that the team struggles when he does not pick up a bagful of wickets. In these 16 Test matches, Bumrah has claimed only 55 wickets at an average of 29.09, with just one five-wicket haul to his credit.

The fast bowler has also been part of three Test matches that ended in a draw. In these games, he has claimed 13 scalps at an average of 23.69, with one five-wicket haul.

---

Performance against SENA countries away from home

In we take a closer look at Bumrah’s performances in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) nations, the pacer has excelled in South Africa, claiming 38 wickets in eight Tests at an average of 20.76, with three five-fers.

Bumrah has done well in England as well, picking up 37 wickets in nine Tests at an average of 26.27, with two five-wicket hauls. Speaking of his Test record in New Zealand, he has played only two Tests there and has picked up six wickets at an average of 31.66.

The 30-year-old has enjoyed his Test battles in Australia, where he has 32 wickets to his name from seven matches, averaging 21.25, with one five-wicket haul.

---

Performance against SENA countries at home

Now, looking at Bumrah’s performances against SENA countries at home, rather amazingly, he is yet to play a Test match against Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand in India.

Against England, he has played four Tests at home and has picked up 19 scalps at an average of 15.21, with one five-wicket haul - the 6/45 which he claimed in the Visakhapatnam Test.

---

1st innings vs 2nd innings breakup

The match-winning ability and versatility of Bumrah can be ascertained from the fact that there is not much variance in his performances while bowling in the first innings and the second innings.

In the first innings, he has claimed 88 wickets in 34 innings at an average of 20.07, with six five-wicket hauls. In the second innings, he has picked up 67 scalps in 31 innings, averaging 20.34, with four five-wicket hauls.