WATCH: Jasprit Bumrah ends year with another fifer; finishes as leading Test wicket-taker of 2024

Jasprit Bumrah has been a menace in 2024 in both Tests and T20Is. He was sensational in the series against England earlier in the year and in the ongoing tour to Australia, the 31-year-old wreaked havoc, picking up 30 wickets in four games. He finished the year with another five-for to his name as on Day 5 of the Boxing Day Test, he picked up the wicket of Nathan Lyon, who departed for 41 runs.

The off-spinner looked good on Day 4 of the Test but in the morning session of Day 5, the India international cleaned him up with a pearler and stared at Lyon as he walked off the crease. 

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It was Bumrah’s fifth five-wicket haul in Test cricket in 2024, which is the most by any bowler. Bumrah also ended 2024 with 71 Test wickets, 19 more than second-placed Gus Atkinson. With 35 Test wickets, Josh Hazlewood is the first Australian cricketer to feature in the list at number ten.

Meanwhile, the visitors bundled Australia to 234 runs in the third innings. The Rohit Sharma-led side was in full control of the ball but ended up leaking too many runs in the end and that might come to haunt the team later on. They need to chase 340 runs in the final innings at Melbourne Cricket Ground, which will be a daunting task, to say the least.

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India meanwhile are in desperate need of registering a win to stay in the hunt for the World Test Championship final qualification. South Africa have already qualified for the summit clash and the competition is now wide open between India and Australia. The Pat Cummins-led side will be playing a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in 2025, which will be helpful to the team but India need to get a positive result in Melbourne and Sydney to keep the hope alive.