That Bumrah is an enigma is well known. He sets up batters with tight lines and lengths before throwing in the slower ball to break their rhythm. He gets the ball to seam in and swing away, attacking the stumps with high pace throughout his spell. Much has been spoken about his hyper-extended elbow, his release point and his unusual run-up but the bowler remains unfazed, leading the way for his team game after game.

Before the Adelaide Test, Bumrah had played 41 Tests, taking 181 wickets at an average of 20.06, already putting him among the all-time greats. No other bowler in the last 100 years has taken more wickets at a better average, with only Sydney Barnes ahead of him in the all-time list, with an average of 16.43. By the end of Australia's first innings in the day-night Test, Bumrah’s average had pummelled to 19.95, highlighting his excellence even further.

2024 has, in particular, been a fabulous year for the quick. He has played pivotal roles across formats, including helping the team to the T20 World Cup title, picking up 15 wickets at a stunning average of 8.26 at an economy rate of 4.17. His form has extended into Test cricket as well - in 11 matches, he has taken 53 scalps thus far at an average of 15.22, throwing him into a zone very few bowlers have entered before.

There have been 106 instances when bowlers have taken 50 or more wickets in a calendar year in Test cricket, but only four average 16 or lower. Imran Khan tops the list with a bowling average of 13.29 in 1982, when he scalped 62 wickets in nine games. Barnes is next on the list, taking 61 wickets at an average of 14.80 in 1912, followed by Waqar Younis, who averaged 15.23 for his 55 wickets in 1993. Bumrah is the first in 31 years to pick up more than 50 wickets and average below 16 in a year.

Overall, Bumrah’s strike rate is the second-best any bowler, who has taken at least 50 wickets, has managed in a year. Waqar Younis sits just above Bumrah, with a strike rate of 29.5, which he recorded in 1993 when he picked up 55 wickets. No other bowler has a strike rate of 35 or below in a year in Test cricket.

Among Indians, Bumrah is far above the pack. Only 17 times has an Indian finished with at least 50 wickets in a year in Test cricket - only three times has the average been below 20. Apart from Bumrah this year, R Ashwin has achieved the feat twice - in 2021 (average of 16.64) and 2015 (17.20). His strike rate is also the best among his compatriots, with Ashwin in 2015 coming in second, at 36.4 balls for every wicket.

This year, Bumrah has outbowled every single bowler as well. He is the only one to pick 50 wickets in 2024 and is the only player to average below 18 among those with at least 35 wickets.

Naturally, he has also outshone his teammates. Mohammed Siraj sits second on the list of wickets taken among India pacers, with 28 scalps. The seam bowler with the second-best average this year for India is Nitish Kumar Reddy, who averages 25 in the 13 overs he has bowled - as compared to the 268.4 that Bumrah has sent down.

But what truly has set Bumrah apart is that he not only has had to lead a relatively inexperienced pace attack, he also has had to raise his game when the batters have struggled. Six times this year India have been bowled out for below 265 in either the first or second innings, increasing the pressure on the bowling attack, specifically Bumrah. He has flourished under that opportunity even as the spinners have struggled with their usual effectiveness. That is why Bumrah’s greatness will go beyond just numbers.

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