Jasprit Bumrah had Australia’s batsmen tied up in knots with his immaculate line and length, giving India the decisive advantage that withstood a second-innings batting collapse in the third Test in Melbourne on Friday.

Called a “genius” on air by Australia’s former captain Michael Clarke, Bumrah’s career-best figures of 6/33 in 15.5 overs jolted the hosts on a day when the Test hurtled towards a conclusion.

At the end of day three, India, after bowling out Australia for 151 in response to their first-innings total of 443/7 declared, took a 346-run lead. The visitors were struggling at 54/5 in 27 overs in their second essay but still had the upper-hand.

Debutant Mayank Agarwal (28 batting), who scored an impressive 76 in the first innings, and Rishabh Pant (6 batting) were at the crease after 15 wickets fell in all on an exciting day.

In their second innings, India were jolted by Pat Cummins (4/10), who took four wickets for two runs in the space of 19 balls, including Virat Kohli (0) and Ajinkya Rahane (0) caught off successive balls.

Rohit Sharma (5) prevented his hat-trick, but fell before the end of play. This was after Bumrah’s outstanding effort handed India a 292-run lead and the day ultimately belonged to the Indian pacer.

Here are the statistical highlights from the action on Friday:

  • The innings marked the ninth occasion that an Indian bowler took a five-wicket haul this year.
  • This also made it the most successful year for India in Tests, with the bowlers taking 247 wickets overall in 14 matches and there is still an innings to be played.

India's best bowling seasons in Tests

Year Matches Wickets 5 W-innings / 10 W-match
2018 14 247 9 / 10
1979 17 237 7 / 0
2002 16 232 9 / 0
2008 15 219 5 / 1
2004 12 209 13 / 4

  • Bumrah became the first bowler from the subcontinent to take a five-for or more in South Africa, England and Australia in the same year.
  • Bumrah returned the second-best figures for an Indian bowler in Australia after Kapil Dev’s 8/106 in Adelaide in 1985. But he surpassed B Chandresekhar’s twin hauls of 6/52 in each innings at this ground in 1977.
  • This is not a statistic, per se, but Bumrah’s slower ball to Shaun Marsh was a thing of beauty.

  • Bumrah now has 45 wickets in 2018 (at the end of Australia’s first innings), which is the most by an Indian pacer in a calendar year while making his debut.

  • These was also the best bowling figures by an Indian at the MCG. Bumrah became the fourth bowler and first pacer to record a six-wicket haul at the famous venue, after Anil Kumble (2), BS Chandrasekhar (2) and EAS Prasanna.
  • Only Kapil Dev has had a better innings in Australia as an Indian pacer.

  • There was also another record for Rishabh Pant, who set the record for most catches in an innings in Adelaide.

  • India’s collapse towards the end of the day also set a couple of records.