Jasprit Bumrah is more than a tailender bully: Busting the myth with factual reality check

Jasprit Bumrah is not just a tailender hunter [Source: @jaspritb1/Instagram]

Social media and its polarising views on certain players are often believed to be reality. However, these agendas, in most cases, are pushed without factual inspection, and Jasprit Bumrah is the latest victim of this problematic trend.

‘Tailender’s nightmare’ is the term used these days to undermine Bumrah’s stature as a generational fast bowler. But when you actually dig into the numbers, the narrative falls apart faster than a brittle batting lineup facing Bumrah on a seaming track. 

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Jasprit Bumrah’s record in Test cricket vs tailenders and top-order batters

(Table: Jasprit Bumrah's Test wickets by batting order)

Let’s start with the facts. As of now, Jasprit Bumrah has taken 226 wickets in Test cricket in 50 matches, conceding 4483 runs at an outstanding average of 19.84, the best among modern fast bowlers with over 100 wickets.

But here’s where it gets interesting. Out of his total wickets, he has dismissed 69 top-order batters (30.5%), 88 middle-order batters (38.9%), and 69 tailenders (30.5%).

In the recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, he dismissed 7 top-order batters and 6 tailenders. However, against the West Indies, Bumrah dismissed just 1 top-order batter and 7 tailenders since wickets had too little help for fast bowlers.

So, tail-enders make up roughly one-third of his wickets, which is exactly the same as top-order dismissals. 

In other words, he’s been just as effective against the top as he has been against the lower order. And when you compare that with other fast bowlers, these proportions are perfectly normal. 

Jasprit Bumrah has the best bowling average vs top 7 batters

Now, let’s talk about quality, not just quantity. When we look at Jasprit Bumrah’s Test bowling average against top-seven batters, the real story emerges. 

Bumrah averages around 22.5 against the top and middle order combined, better than legends like Curtly Ambrose (23.5), Joel Garner (24), Glenn McGrath (24.5), and Pat Cummins (26.5). 

Even greats like Dale Steyn (28), Muttiah Muralitharan (28.5), and James Anderson (30.5) sit comfortably above him. That’s not 'stat-padding'. That's an elite company. 

This tells us one thing loud and clear: Jasprit Bumrah doesn’t need tailenders to inflate his record, he earns it the hard way. He knocks over the best in the business. 

Remember his spell against England at Lord’s in 2021, when he outfoxed Joe Root and terrorised their middle order? 

Or his magical 6/27 against the West Indies, where top-order batters barely survived his first spell? Those weren’t tailenders, those were world-class batters undone by world-class bowling.

The other reason that this 'tailender myth' exists is that Bumrah makes it seem so easy to dismiss the tailenders. He’s devastating with yorkers, deceptive with bounce, and unplayable with reverse swing. 

His quickness at cleaning up the tail tends to overshadow the harm he causes earlier in the innings, where he disrupts partnerships and gets rid of important players.

Final thought

The reality is, Jasprit Bumrah is one of the most complete fast bowlers India has ever produced and one of the most balanced in the world. He strikes early, controls the middle overs, and finishes the job. His numbers don’t need defending; they demand appreciation.

So the next time someone says, 'Bumrah only gets tailenders,' just show them the stats, and maybe that trademark Bumrah smile. Because the truth is simple, Jasprit Bumrah isn’t a tailender slayer. He’s a top-order nightmare.

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