- July 27, 2025
When discussing Jasprit Bumrah, you think of words like “lethal,” “clinical,” and “world-class.” Bumrah has been the best all-format pacer for India in this century. He has been deadly with the new ball, dangerous with the old ball, and perfected reverse swing. Yet, even the best can be human. In Test cricket, with every over being a mini-battle and plenty of deliveries in between, sometimes even a bowler of Bumrah’s abilities can take a hammering.
Bumrah’s Toughest Shift – 2/112 vs ENG, 2025
Let’s start with the freshest wound. India walked into the 4th Test at Manchester with high hopes, but their bowling plans didn’t quite land. Bumrah wasn’t even a confirmed starter due to workload management, but injuries in the camp forced his inclusion.
England, hungry and ruthless, batted like they were on turbo mode. Joe Root (150) and Ben Stokes (141) dismantled the Indian attack. Bumrah, battling through a stiff back and flat pitch, finally broke through in the 125th over—yes, that deep into the innings—to remove Jamie Smith. He added Liam Dawson’s scalp later, but the damage was long done. Bumrah finished with figures of 2 for 112 from 33 overs—his most expensive Test spell to date.
The Aussie Onslaught – 4/99 vs AUS, 2024
Debutant Sam Konstas and the ever-reliable Steve Smith piled on the runs as Australia racked up a hefty 474.
Bumrah’s 4 wickets showed his impact, but the 99 runs conceded made it a bittersweet spell. This one hurt because India had their moments but couldn’t quite capitalize. And when Smith scores a big hundred, you know the bowling unit has had a long day.
Lost in Wellington – 1/88 vs NZ, 2020
Swing-friendly conditions? Check. Bumrah with the red ball? Check. But something didn’t click in Wellington. Despite Ishant Sharma’s fifer, Bumrah looked off-color. His sole wicket—BJ Watling for 14—came after 70+ overs had been bowled.
The closing lines were: 1/88 in 26 overs, and New Zealand combined with a first-innings lead which India never got back from. This game had a message; just because the conditions look make for seamers, that doesn’t mean wickets will come from it.
Rooted at Home – 3/84 vs ENG, 2021
Back to Chennai 2021. England scored 578 on a wicket with significant turn, and Bumrah managed to take 3 wickets in an enormous 36-over spell. Joe Root scored 218. If Joe Root scores 218, you know the bowling attack has been taken away from you.
Conceding 84 runs in 36 overs doesn’t look too bad on paper, but Bumrah’s failure to break key partnerships early handed England the upper hand. Not his worst outing, but certainly one of his more expensive spells in challenging home conditions.
Costly Fifer – 5/85 vs ENG, 2018
This is a weird one. Bumrah took a five-wicket haul at Nottingham in 2018, but still finds this spell on the “most expensive” list. The reason? It took him 29 overs to get those five, and he gave away 85 runs in the process.
The upside? India won that game convincingly. Sometimes, expensive doesn’t mean ineffective—and this innings is proof. It just shows how Test cricket is about context, not just stats.
Cricket fans—what do you think was Bumrah’s toughest spell to watch as a fan? And which one showed the most character despite the figures? Let’s talk in the comments or hit me up on Twitter!
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