Bumrah kicked off his year with eight wickets against the Proteas in Cape Town, including a rollicking six-wicket haul in the second innings that set up a big win and a series draw for India.

Post that, the right-arm quick went on to grab 19 dismissals in India’s 4-1 series victory over England at home, which solidified India’s position in the WTC Final contention.

To further solidify his position at the top of the ICC Test Bowler Rankings, Bumrah put in a dreamy one-man show for the visitors in the highly-anticipated and watched Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which saw him receive plaudits from across the world for his terrific act with the ball.

With five-fors in Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne in the first four Tests of the series, the pacer left the Australian batters in big trouble during the course of his heroics with the ball, often picking wickets and dictating terms almost at will.

His remarkable strike rate, combined with his impeccable consistency under pressure is what sets him apart, making him undeniably the most effective bowler of the year.