Jasprit Bumrah surpasses Wasim Akram to become the Asian bowler with the most wickets in SENA countries.
Jasprit Bumrah Surpasses Milestones and Dominates on Flat Headingley Pitch
Jasprit Bumrah once again proved why he is considered the best bowler in international cricket, displaying exceptional skill on a placid Headingley pitch during Day 2 of the first Test. He dismissed Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Joe Root, standing out as the top bowler for both teams. With Duckett’s wicket in the final session, Bumrah achieved a remarkable milestone—taking his tally to 148 wickets in SENA countries, surpassing Pakistan’s Wasim Akram to become the leading Asian wicket-taker in these challenging conditions.
Jasprit Bumrah now leads a list that includes Akram (146), Anil Kumble (141), Ishant Sharma (130), and Mohammed Shami (123). Despite the pitch offering little assistance to bowlers, the 31-year-old bowler kept the ball moving and maintained relentless pressure throughout the day.
He struck early in the second session by dismissing Crawley for 4, trapping the right-hander with a delivery that led to an easy slip catch by Karun Nair. Ben Duckett, however, battled hard, spending over two hours at the crease and adapting well to the conditions. Still, Bumrah eventually outsmarted him, bowling Duckett for 62 in the final session. After the dismissal, Bumrah shared a knowing smile and exchanged a few words with Duckett, perhaps recalling the England opener’s pre-series confidence.
Before the series, Duckett had told Mail Sport, “I’ve faced him in a five-Test series before. I know what he’s going to do to me, and the good thing about that is I know what skills he has. There’s going to be nothing that surprises me.” But Bumrah’s mastery on Day 2 proved otherwise.
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For England, Ben Stokes and Josh Tongue were the standout bowlers, each claiming four wickets. Shubman Gill was India’s highest scorer with 147, followed closely by Pant’s 134 and Jaiswal’s 101.