IND vs AUS: Jasprit Bumrah becomes fastest Indian pacer to 200 Test wickets

Jasprit Bumrah has become the fastest Indian pacer to reach the landmark of 200 wickets in Test cricket.

The pacer accomplished the milestone in the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The legendary Kapil Dev earlier held the record in 50 matches in the Test against West Indies back in March 1983 in Port of Spain.

Bumrah reached the landmark in his 44th Test, thereby also becoming the joint second-fastest Indian to 200 Test wickets along with Ravindra Jadeja. Ravi Ashwin, who retired after the Brisbane Test, stays the fastest Indian after he picked up his 200th Test wicket in his 37th Test back in September 2016 during a Test match against New Zealand in Kanpur.

Bumrah touched the 200-wicket landmark after dismissing Travis Head, who is the leading run-scorer of the series after smashing back-to-back hundreds in the Adelaide and Brisbane Tests. Overall, former Pakistani spinner Yasir Shah is the fastest to the milestone in only 33 Tests. Amongst pacers, Australia’s Dennis Lillee holds the record in 38 Test matches.

Fastest Indian to 200 wickets in Tests
Ravi Ashwin – 37 matches (September 2016)

Ravindra Jadeja – 44 matches (October 2019)

Jasprit Bumrah – 44 matches (December 2024)

Harbhajan Singh – 46 matches (September 2005)

Anil Kumble – 47 matches (October 1998)

The 31-year-old Bumrah also became the fourth fastest to 200 Test wickets (by balls bowled), getting there in 8484 balls. Pakistan’s Waqar Younis (7725) holds the record, followed by South Africa’s Dale Steyn (7848) and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada (8153).

Bumrah also reached the landmark at an average of 19.56, the lowest amongst all bowlers. Bumrah also broke Kapil Dev’s record for most wickets by an Indian pacer in a bilateral Test series on Australian soil. The speedster has been in splendid form, having troubled the Australian batters throughout.