According to the latest ICC Test rankings, Bumrah is crowned as the #1 bowler in the world. He is the fastest Test bowler to achieve the milestone of 200 wickets in just 44 matches.
Someone like James Anderson survived and thrived in Test cricket for more than 20 years and is still celebrated. Jasprit Bumrah is another example in world cricket right now. His spell in the final of the T20 World Cup last year helped India win the trophy after 17 years.
But what makes Bumrah the best test bowler? Let’s use stats to understand this and the performance of other bowlers.
Why Is Bumrah the Best Test Bowler in the World?
Jasprit Bumrah reached 200 Test wickets in just 44 matches, making him the fastest Indian—and fourth globally—to do so, with a remarkable bowling average of 19.60 and a strike rate around 42.
In the 2023–25 World Test Championship, he was the second-highest wicket-taker among bowlers, with an average of 15.09 and 77 wickets in 15 matches. Pat Cummins leads the list with 80 wickets, but he took seven more innings than Bumrah to achieve this feat.
With superior figures both across conditions and formats, and consistently leading the ICC rankings, Bumrah stands out as the world’s premier Test bowler.
Best Bowler in the World Test Championship
Nathan Lyon is the highest wicket-taker in the World Test Championship with 213 wickets in 52 matches at an average of 27.07.
He and Ravindra Jadeja are the only bowlers with multiple 10-wicket hauls in the WTC. Pat Cummins is second on the list and has taken 210 wickets in 49 matches at an average of 22.20.
| Rank | Bowler | Span | Matches | Wickets | Economy | BBI | 5-fers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NM Lyon (AUS) | 2019–2025 | 53 | 213 | 2.77 | 8/64 | 10 |
| 2 | PJ Cummins (AUS) | 2019–2025 | 50 | 210 | 2.92 | 6/28 | 10 |
| 3 | R Ashwin (IND) | 2019–2024 | 41 | 195 | 2.83 | 7/71 | 11 |
| 4 | MA Starc (AUS) | 2019–2025 | 48 | 180 | 3.46 | 6/48 | 4 |
| 5 | JJ Bumrah (IND) | 2019–2025 | 36 | 161 | 2.82 | 6/27 | 11 |
| 6 | K Rabada (SA) | 2019–2025 | 34 | 160 | 3.32 | 6/46 | 8 |
| 7 | SCJ Broad (ENG) | 2019–2023 | 33 | 134 | 3.04 | 6/31 | 3 |
| 8 | RA Jadeja (IND) | 2019–2025 | 41 | 132 | 2.83 | 7/42 | 6 |
| 9 | TG Southee (NZ) | 2019–2024 | 37 | 127 | 2.99 | 5/32 | 6 |
| 10 | JR Hazlewood (AUS) | 2019–2025 | 31 | 124 | 2.74 | 5/8 | 7 |
(Bowlers who have taken the most wickets in the World Test Championship)
Lyon can be termed as the best spinner according to these stats, while Cummins is the best pacer here. But then there is Jasprit Bumrah sitting in the fifth position on this list. However, his average of 18.90 makes him one of the top bowlers.
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Best Bowler Outside the Indian Subcontinent
Cummins is at the top of this list with 207 wickets in 45 matches at an average of 21.08. He has taken the most five-wicket hauls in an innings among all these bowlers. He can be termed as the best bowler outside of the Indian subcontinent. Nathan Lyon is in fourth position, but his average is a lot more than that of Cummins. Cummins and Lyon are the only two bowlers who have taken a 10-wicket haul in a match twice among these 10 bowlers.
| Rank | Bowler | Span | Matches | Wickets | Economy | BBI | 5-fers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PJ Cummins (AUS) | 2019–2025 | 45 | 207 | 2.92 | 6/23 | 10 |
| 2 | MA Starc (AUS) | 2019–2025 | 41 | 172 | 3.56 | 6/48 | 6 |
| 3 | SCJ Broad (ENG) | 2019–2023 | 40 | 168 | 3.00 | 6/31 | 4 |
| 4 | NM Lyon (AUS) | 2019–2025 | 44 | 162 | 2.81 | 6/49 | 6 |
| 5 | K Rabada (SA) | 2019–2025 | 31 | 153 | 3.46 | 6/50 | 6 |
| 6 | JR Hazlewood (AUS) | 2019–2025 | 30 | 126 | 2.78 | 5/8 | 7 |
| 7 | TG Southee (NZ) | 2019–2024 | 32 | 124 | 3.15 | 6/43 | 6 |
| 8 | JJ Bumrah (IND) | 2019–2025 | 25 | 115 | 2.79 | 6/27 | 5 |
| 9 | KAJ Roach (WI) | 2019–2024 | 31 | 115 | 2.94 | 5/17 | 3 |
| 10 | CR Woakes (ENG) | 2019–2025 | 32 | 109 | 2.98 | 6/17 | 3 |
(Bowlers who have taken the most wickets outside the Indian subcontinent since 2019)
Bumrah is among the top 10 bowlers as well and has taken 92 fewer wickets than Cummins. However, his average of 20 again put his name among the top bowlers. No other bowler has a bowling average of 20 or less among the top 10 wicket-takers on this list.
Best Bowler in the Indian Subcontinent
Ravichandran Ashwin retired from all forms of cricket last year. However, he is still the best bowler when it comes to the Indian subcontinent. The off-spinner has taken 156 wickets in 29 Test matches at an average of 20.51.
| Rank | Bowler | Span | Matches | Wickets | Economy | BBI | 5-fers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R Ashwin (IND) | 2019–2024 | 29 | 156 | 2.90 | 7/145 | 9 |
| 2 | Taijul Islam (BAN) | 2019–2025 | 28 | 121 | 2.96 | 7/116 | 8 |
| 3 | NGRP Jayasuriya (SL) | 2022–2025 | 16 | 100 | 3.07 | 7/52 | 5 |
| 4 | RA Jadeja (IND) | 2019–2024 | 21 | 94 | 2.86 | 7/42 | 6 |
| 5 | Mehidy Hasan Miraz (BAN) | 2019–2025 | 26 | 85 | 3.12 | 5/32 | 4 |
| 6 | Noman Ali (PAK) | 2021–2025 | 16 | 72 | 3.03 | 8/46 | 7 |
| 7 | RTM Mendis (SL) | 2021–2025 | 16 | 71 | 3.16 | 6/70 | 5 |
| 8 | AY Patel (NZ) | 2019–2024 | 13 | 68 | 3.45 | 10/119 | 6 |
| 9 | MJ Leach (ENG) | 2021–2024 | 13 | 61 | 3.44 | 5/122 | 1 |
| 10 | NM Lyon (AUS) | 2022–2025 | 11 | 59 | 2.72 | 8/64 | 6 |
(Bowlers who have taken the most wickets in the Indian subcontinent since 2019)
Lyon is 10th on this list and is the most successful Australian bowler in the Asian subcontinent. Cummins has played just seven matches in the Asian subcontinent since 2019 and has taken 17 wickets at an average of 29.94.
Bumrah has picked 47 wickets in 12 games at an average of 17.19. His average put him at the top of this list once again. His strike rate of 35.5 is also the best among the bowlers who have taken 40 or more wickets since 2019 here.
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Conclusion: Jasprit Bumrah is Currently the Best Test Bowler in the World
Clearly, Bumrah is one name that has been consistent on the above three lists. His bowling average puts him in the top position on all these lists. He might not have wickets to his name as compared to other bowlers, but he surely creates an impact with his bowling.
Hence, Jasprit Bumrah from India is the best Test bowler in the world right now. He has dominated not just in Asian conditions but outside as well.
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