SYDNEY: India’s stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah etched his name in the record books during the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
Bumrah broke a 47-year-old record to become India’s highest wicket-taker in an away Test series, surpassing Bishan Singh Bedi’s 31 wickets with his tally of 32 – with an innings still to go.
Most wickets in a Test series for India away from home:
Jasprit Bumrah – 32* (vs Australia, 2024-25)
Bishan Singh Bedi – 31 (vs Australia, 1977-78)
Bhagwath Chandrasekhar – 28 (vs Australia, 1977-78)
Subhash Gupte – 26 (vs West Indies, 1952-53)
Kapil Dev – 25 (vs Australia, 1991-92)
Bumrah’s 22 off 17 balls in India’s first innings were overshadowed by injury concerns.
After leaving the field for examinations, he returned briefly but bowled at reduced pace before leaving again, leaving Virat Kohli in charge.
Bumrah’s stellar form has put him on the verge of surpassing several records in India-Australia Test encounters.
He currently has 64 wickets from 12 matches, behind Mitchell Starc (66) and Pat Cummins (73). Kapil Dev, with 79 wickets in 20 matches, also remains within reach.
Top Wicket-Takers in India vs Australia Tests:
Nathan Lyon – 130 wickets in 32 matches
Ravi Ashwin – 115 wickets in 22 matches
Anil Kumble – 111 wickets in 20 matches
Harbhajan Singh – 95 wickets in 18 matches
The ongoing final Test has been a rollercoaster for both sides. Batting first, India were bowled out for 185 runs in their first innings.
In reply, Australia managed just 181 runs, giving India a small advantage.
As of now, India lead by 146 runs with six wickets down at 141, determined to level the series 2-2 after a huge defeat in the Boxing Day Test.
India’s qualification for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final remains uncertain.
To secure a place, India must win or draw the fifth Test and then rely on Sri Lanka to defeat Australia 2-0 or 1-0 in their next Test series, starting January 29 in Galle.
