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Cricket PlayersThe best of Test bowling in 2021: Siraj bowls a spell for the ages, Ajaz emulates Kumble, Jamieson spoils India's dreams
From Kyle Jamieson shattering India's World Test Championship dream to Ajaz Patel emulating a feat only two bowlers had done before him, here are the spells we feel stood out in the year 2021.
The year 2021 did not witness too many Test matches, but that did not mean that there was a shortage in impressive performances. Some established, some not so proven bowlers made a mark for themselves playing the longest format of the game, and as the year approaches its end, we take a look at the 10 most sensational spells of bowling. From Kyle Jamieson shattering India's World Test Championship dream to Ajaz Patel emulating a feat only two bowlers had done before him, here are the spells we feel stood out in the year 2021.
1 Mohammed Siraj (5/73 vs Australia, Gabba)
Playing only his third Test match, Mohammed Siraj picked up his maiden five-wicket haul, playing a crucial role in India breaching the 'Gabbatoir'. In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav, the young Siraj spearheaded India's depleted attack to bowl Australia out for 294. Siraj, who grabbed 1/77 in the first innings, bowled full throttle and was rewarded handsomely. He squared up Marnus Labuschagne who nicked behind for his first wicket, before having Matthew Wade caught down leg three balls later. After lunch, he dismissed top-scorer Steve Smith out caught at gully for his third before turning his focus on Australia’s tail. With it, Siraj became the fifth Indian bowler to claim a five-wicket haul in Brisbane
2 Axar Patel, Ahmedabad (6/38 and 5/32 vs England, Ahmedabad)
Axar Patel made his Test debut for India in February of 2021, and boy, what a series he had. In his second Test, at the newly-inaugurated Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad, the left-arm spinner ran the England batting line-up ragged with incredible figures of 6/38 and 5/32 in the day/night Test. With five wickets in the 2nd innings, Axar took his total tally of wickets to 27. This is the most wickets taken by an Indian bowler in his debut Test series (four matches).
3 Ajaz Patel (10/113 vs India, Mumbai)
New Zealand's Ajaz Patel became the only third bowler in the history of Test cricket to take 10 wickets in an innings. The left-arm spinner achieved the feat during the second Test of the series against India in Mumbai. Patel joined England's Jim Laker and India's Anil Kumble as the only third bowler all spinners - to take 10 wickets in a Test innings.
Patel bowled 47.5 overs, conceding 119 runs for his ten wickets in the first innings of the Mumbai Test. Incidentally, India's Anil Kumble was the last bowler to take a 10-wicket haul. He achieved the feat during a Test in Delhi against Pakistan in 1999. The left-armer had finished with four wickets on the first Day of the Test and continued on his splendid run in the morning session of Day 2
4 James Anderson (5/62 vs India, Lord's)
The veteran James Anderson continued his love affair with India in the Test series at home. In the third Test at Lord’s, the peerless Anderson was again England’s standout bowler with a five-wicket haul to restrict India to 364 all out. If any pace bowler playing in the game needed inspiration, it was right in front of them at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in the form of the legendary Anderson. After showing his mastery with the old ball on the opening day, the England spearhead was absolutely brilliant with the second new ball to pick another five-wicket haul. It was his 31st fifer, second most among fast bowlers after Sir Richard Hadlee who has 35, and his seventh at Lord’s, taking his tally at the historic ground to 110.
5 Pat Cummins (5/38 vs England, Gabba)
Australia fast bowler Pat Cummins recorded a five-wicket haul on Day 1 of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane, and joined a unique list of bowlers to have achieved the feat as captains. Cummins, playing his first Test as the captain of Australia since Tim Paine stepped down from the role in November, ended with figures of 5/38 in 13.1 overs. Cummins became the first bowler since Afghanistan's Rashid Khan in 2019 to take a five-wicket haul in debut Test as captain. Rashid had achieved the feat against Bangladesh in Chattogram, where he took five-wicket hauls across both innings of the Test. Overall, Cummins joins a list of elite bowler-captains to have taken a five-wicket haul that include India's Kumble, West Indies' Courtney Walsh, New Zealand's Daniel Vettori among others.
6 James Anderson (6/40 vs Sri Lanka, Galle)
At 38 years of age, bowling in one of the toughest countries for a fast bowler, Anderson claimed tremendous figures of 6/40 in hot and humid conditions of Galle. This was a spell of patience and accuracy as the veteran England quick the Sri Lankan batters in check. It was his 30th five-wicket-haul. Without Anderson in the attack, England bled runs, and otherwise whenever he operated. With very limited reverse swing on offer, Anderson made things look completely the opposite. For critics who accuse Anderson for being successful only in English conditions, the stellar show in Galle helped the quick take his away wickets tally to 49 in his last 14 Tests.
7 Kyle Jamieson (5/31 vs India, Southampton)
In the World Test Championship final, India's batting superstars struggled to decode the 'big riddle' called Kyle Jamieson. Jamieson's second five-wicket haul against India in three Tests had Virat Kohli's men all out for 217 in overcast conditions. Jamieson decimated India with marvellous figures of 22-12-31-5 with generous help from the relentless Neil Wagner and the crafty duo of Tim Southee and Trent Boult. It was the 6-feet-8-inch tall Jamieson, who after last year's series in New Zealand, once again turned into a nightmare for the Indian batters.
8 Jasprit Bumrah (5/64 vs England, Nottingham)
India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah got his name up on the honours board at Trent Bridge after the right-arm bowler registered a five-wicket haul in the first Test against England. It was Bumrah's 2nd fifer in England, with the first one coming in his maiden Test in the country in 2018. Apart from dismissing England captain Joe Root for 109, Bumrah also picked the wickets of Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, and Stuart Broad, in the 2nd innings, as India bundled out the hosts for 303, setting themselves a target of 209. The match ended in a draw with rain washing out the final day but Bumrah getting back among wickets was a huge positive for the Indian team
9 R Ashwin (6/61 vs England, Chennai)
Ravichandran Ashwin was the standout performer for India in the second innings of the Chennai Test against England. After an average display in the first innings, Ashwin showed why he is regarded as one of the best spinners in the world as he picked up six wickets to help India dismiss England for 178 runs at the M Chidambaram Stadium. Ashwin had figures of 6/61 as he picked up the last three wickets as India dismissed England under 200 on a deteriorating pitch at the Chepauk. This was the 28th time Ashwin picked up a five-wicket haul for India in Tests while this is his 26th in Asia. With this performance, Ashwin equalled England pacer Anderson's record of most 5-wicket hauls at home in Test cricket.
10 Ollie Robinson (5/65 vs India, Headingley)
Ollie Robinson grabbed a handsome 5/65 to help India hammer India by 151 runs in the third Test of the series at Headingley. Robinson bagged the 'Man of the Match' award for his excellent figures of 2/16 and 5/65 in both innings, respectively. He bagged four wickets on the final day to help his side bowl India out for 278, hence seal an innings and 76 runs win. England began the proceedings with the second new ball and it all began with Robinson dismissing Pujara on his overnight score of 91. India skipper Virat Kohli got to his first fifty of the series but only to be dismissed by Robinson that triggered a stunning collapse.
