With his second five-wicket haul in Australia during the third Test at the Gabba, Jasprit Bumrah has once again made history. He now has more five-wicket hauls than Indian legend Kapil Dev in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia). Kapil Dev had seven fifers, but Bumrah now has eight. On a day when Steve Smith and Travis Head, two of Australia’s top-order batsmen, were playing well, Bumrah’s performance was vital. Bumrah’s crucial wickets of Smith and Head with the second new ball changed the course of the match after India faltered in the middle session. He got Smith, who was chasing an expansive shot, caught at slip by Rohit Sharma, while Head, who was dismissed by Rishabh Pant after being caught behind.
India recovered from a challenging time thanks to this change in momentum and Bumrah’s timely innovations. The Australian assault was mostly contained by Bumrah’s excellent bowling, especially in the early and late innings. He currently has 49 wickets from 10 Test matches in Australia, matching Anil Kumble’s total and getting closer to Kapil Dev’s national record of 51 wickets. His standing as one of the top fast bowlers in contemporary cricket has been further cemented by his performance.