On Wednesday, February 7, the ICC released its most recent Test rankings, and star Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah made history by becoming the first pacer from India to be ranked #1 in the world. The speedster overtook teammate Ravichandran Ashwin at the top of the rankings after taking nine wickets in a match against England in Visakhapatnam, moving up three spots.
After Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Bishan Singh Bedi, the right-arm pacer became the fourth bowler from India to accomplish the feat. The entire cricket community celebrated Jasprit Bumrah’s historic achievement when he became the first player to finish first in the longest format. But when he posted a mysterious narrative on his Instagram account, the 30-year-old had a pretty surprising perspective on his rise up the bowling ranks.
In an image that Jasprit Bumrah provided, two opposite halves of the world were depicted. The first half included empty seats, symbolizing the support he received during his difficult time, while the second half was packed with people commemorating his incredible achievement.
Notably, a cricketer from Ahmedabad returned to the Indian squad on August 18, 2023, following an absence of over 11 months from competitive play. Jasprit Bumrah was unable to participate in the mega event of the T20 World Cup 2022 due to a stress fracture. Additionally, he was not available for the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final or the Asia Cup 2022 final since India ultimately lost all three competitions.
Fans started doubting Bumrah’s dedication to playing for India during his absence from the team, and he was the target of intense criticism on social media. But the speedster has silenced his detractors ever since he returned with great performances across the board in all three formats.
In the second test, Jasprit Bumrah achieved career-best results.
With two five-wicket hauls to his credit, Bumrah has taken 27 wickets in seven Test innings at an amazing average of 11.66 since his return. He has taken 28 wickets at an economy of 4.40 and an average of 20.28 from 16 innings in ODIs. In addition, the pacer claimed four wickets at an economy of 4.87 and an average of 9.75 in the two Twenty20 Internationals he participated in following his return.
The second-best bowling stats of his career were his recent efforts of 9/91 against England in the second Test in Visakhapatnam. When India plays England in the third Test at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot starting on February 15, Bumrah will continue his incredible streak.