Star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the third Indian fast bowler to dismiss 50 Test batters in a calendar year. This accomplishment places him alongside the legendary Kapil Dev and Zaheer Khan. Bumrah secured this milestone by taking the wicket of Usman Khawaja in the ongoing match. Khawaja, the left-handed opening batter, was caught in the slips by Indian captain Rohit Sharma on the last ball of the 11th over of Australia’s first innings.
Kapil Dev was the first Indian fast bowler to achieve 50 Test wickets in a calendar year back in 1979, taking 74 wickets in 17 matches. He later improved his record in 1983 by dismissing 75 batters in 18 Tests. Zaheer Khan joined the elite list by achieving 51 dismissals in 15 matches in 2002. Although Bumrah reached 50 wickets in 2024, it is noteworthy that several other bowlers, like Anil Kumble, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Harbhajan Singh, have also achieved more than 50 Test wickets in a calendar year.
Globally, the record for most Test wickets in a calendar year belongs to former Australian spinner Shane Warne, who achieved 96 wickets in 2006. Meanwhile, notable fast bowlers like Muttiah Muralitharan, Dennis Lillee, Allan Donald, and others have also contributed significantly to their respective teams' records in calendar years.
