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Best Bowling Average In Test Cricket History With 200+ Wickets Ft. Jasprit Bumrah, Curtly Ambrose

Arnav Chopra

Trueman, Ambrose, Bumrah, Garner, Marshall (Source: @SomersetCCC, @windiescricket, @ICC/X.com)Trueman, Ambrose, Bumrah, Garner, Marshall (Source: @SomersetCCC, @windiescricket, @ICC/X.com)

In the long history of Test cricket, some players have done a high-profile job, as they have not just picked wickets but also restricted runs, especially in the red-ball format. Talking about red-ball cricket specifically, maintaining a decent average is one of the most crucial aspects for a bowler, be it a spinner or pacer.

All the great players who have graced the field in white jerseys always had the privilege of a great bowling average after their name. These legendary players would often bowl and pick wickets while also restricting the run rate of the opposition. Therefore, in this article, we will look at the players who have had the lowest bowling average in Test cricket history, with a minimum of 200 wickets to their name.

5. Fred Trueman - 21.57

At number five on this list is the former English pacer, Fred Trueman, who played from 1952 to 1965 and featured in 67 Test matches, while picking a total of 307 wickets in his career. The right-arm pacer had an outstanding average of just 21.57 in the red-ball format, where his economy was just 2.61. With 17 five-wicket hauls and 3 ten-wickets in a match hauls, Trueman was truly one of the finest bowlers for the English side back in the day.

4. Curtly Ambrose - 20.99

At number four on this list is the former Caribbean powerhouse, Curtly Ambrose, who dominated Test cricket from 1988 to 2000. In 98 Test matches, Ambrose picked a total of 405 wickets, where he averaged just 20.99, and his economy was 2.30.

The right-arm pacer was an outstanding and lethal bowler who, at his very best, would demolish the opposition with his extreme pace and difficult-to-handle bounce. Ambrose's ability to rattle the opposition single-handedly made him one of the finest players to play Test cricket.

3. Joel Garner - 20.97

Featuring at number three on this list is another West Indian, Joel Garner, who played from 1977 to 1987, during which time he featured in a total of 58 Test matches. He picked 259 wickets at an outstanding average of 20.97, with an economy of just 2.47. Garner was 6 feet 8 inches in height and was nicknamed "The Big Bird", as he was another lethal bowler from the fast-bowling factory of the dominant West Indian side.

2. Malcolm Marshall - 20.94

At number two on this list is another West Indian, Malcolm Marshall, who partnered Ambrose and Garner and the other greats of West Indian cricket with his lethal pace and bounce. Marshall played from 1978 to 1991, in a total of 81 Test matches, where he bagged 376 wickets at an economy of 2.68.

What's remarkable is his average, which was just 20.94, as he picked up 22 five-wicket hauls and four ten-wickets in a match hauls throughout his Test match career. Marshall's ability to get into the minds of the opposition was something that the opposition feared, as he would often rattle the opposition with his outstanding control of the red-ball.

1. Jasprit Bumrah - 19.33

Now featuring at the top of the list is the best Indian pacer to come out of the subcontinent, that is Jasprit Bumrah. In his career, spanning just seven years since his debut in 2018, Bumrah has become one of the finest pacers in the long history of Test cricket. In just 46 matches, Jasprit has managed to pick up 210 wickets at an economy of 2.77, but what’s the most important thing to look at here is his average, which is just 19.33, the best ever for a player who has picked up more than 200 wickets in his career.

With the ability to confront the opposition with his change of pace, yorkers, and seam-up deliveries, Bumrah is also an outstanding user of swing, as he can often trouble batsmen with his deceptive action and cause problems for both right-handed and left-handed batsmen. Another interesting thing to note here is that Bumrah, in his short career, has registered his name among the best players ever in red-ball cricket, which also makes him one of the greatest to play in the white jersey.