One of the USP’s of test cricket today, is the presence of an even contest between bat and ball. It isn’t just about runs, but also about wickets. And, if you have been following the Australia-India test series, it would not have taken you time to realize that the ball has been dominant.
Never would an Indian cricket fan have thought that their bowlers will dominate more than their batsmen in test cricket. This has been courtesy of fierce bowling artillery that has come into its own in the last two-three years.
And at the very center of the Indian bowling arsenal are two highly competitive, sharp-minded, and versatile bowlers, Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah. A blend of pace and precision with spin and guile. A vital combination for the Indian bowling attack.
So it is pertinent that we look at their individual as well as collective mathematical stories. A story of brilliance, domination, and promise for the future.
5th January 2018: A star is born
A date that is bread and butter for every Indian cricket analyst. The day Jasprit Bumrah played his first Test match. It has been 3 years now and in that timeline, Jasprit Bumrah has taken most away wickets in Test cricket (76). The bigger surprise here is that he hasn’t played a single Test match in India.
Just below him on that list are Mohammed Shami (61) and Ishant Sharma (53), which goes to depict how successful India’s pace unit has been in overseas conditions. Be it South Africa, England, Australia, or New Zealand, Bumrah and co. have delivered. Even though India have only won in Australia out of these four tours.
Bumrah’s impeccable average (18.69) is only second to Suranga Lakmal’s in the top ten, highlighting the consistency that the 27-year old has displayed in his first three years in Test cricket.
6th November 2011: Wickets begin turning to ASH
375 wickets in just 73 matches is a figure that gives you a glimpse of the genius that Ravichandran Ashwin has been in Test cricket. Picking 22 wickets in his debut series against West Indies, the Chennai-born spinner early signs of how crucial an asset he is going to be for India, especially at home.
Since his debut, Ashwin has been the third-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket (375). Not far behind his rival in the current Australia series, Nathan Lyon (386) and Stuart Broad (382), whereas he averages better than the two.
Out of his 375 wickets, 122 have come in overseas. And while he hasn’t been able to deliver much in England, New Zealand and South Africa, Australia has still been a more memorable outing for Ashwin. Especially this summer.
The Dynamic duo
Bumrah and Ashwin have been the most reliable bowlers in terms of picking wickets per innings. In the last three years since 5th Jan 2018, Ashwin and Bumrah have the highest wickets per innings of all the Indian bowlers who have bowled in a minimum of 15 innings.
But, it should come as a surprise that Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin have only played 8 Test matches together. However, in the eight games that they have played together, the duo has picked a total of 44.36 percent of India’s wickets in those games – 63 out of 142 wickets. Though India have won only three out of these eight games, it is admirable that the bowlers have picked 142 out of 160 possible scalps.
While the numbers do highlight their importance to Team India, they can never really project the feeling that an Indian fan gets watching them dominate the opposition. No matter what the situation is. Like they have done in the Australia series so far. Like we wish they will for the coming years.