Is Ollie Robinson England's best-ever bowler in home Tests?
What's the story
England's fast bowler, Ollie Robinson, was at his best in the recent home Test series against Pakistan. He claimed 21 wickets at a stellar average of 8.76 as the Brits recorded a 3-0 clean sweep. This stellar performance also earned him the Player-of-the-Series award. During the final game, Robinson also completed the landmark of 100 Test wickets. On this note, we decode his stellar run in home Test matches.
Stats
An average of under 17
As per Cricinfo, Robinson has so far played 14 Tests in England, claiming 78 wickets in just 27 innings.
His average of 16.33 is the best for any bowler with at least 75 Test wickets in the country.
No other bowler even has a sub-18 average in this regard.
New Zealand's Richard Hadlee is the only bowler to claim 75-plus wickets in a nation while averaging under 18 (17.83 in Australia).
This puts Robinson in a league of his own.
Historic achievement
Most wickets in England since his debut
The 2021 Lord's Test against New Zealand in June marked Robinson's Test debut.
His tally of 78 Test wickets in England is the most for any bowler since his debut.
Gus Atkinson (22.94) and Mark Wood (24.36) are the only bowlers to claim 30-plus Test wickets in England in this period with a sub-25 average.
This reflects the level of Robinson's impact.
Statistical rarity
An average of below 20 in the modern era
Coming to Robinson's overall numbers, he now has 104 wickets from 24 Tests at an average of 19.25.
Each of his five five-wicket hauls has come in home Tests.
Robinson's average is the best among bowlers with a century of Test scalps post-WWI.
He surpassed India's Bumrah, who currently averages 19.79 in the format.
Having taken 24 Tests, Robinson is also the joint third-fastest England bowler to complete 100 wickets in Test cricket.