Jasprit Bumrah, widely regarded as the finest Indian fast bowler in contemporary cricket, participated in three Test matches in England, yet India was unable to secure a victory in any of them.
They managed to draw two Tests, while the fourth Test in Manchester also concluded in a draw. Interestingly, India triumphed in both matches where Bumrah was absent from the squad. There is a significant contrast in India’s performance with Bumrah in the lineup compared to when he is rested, as the team tends to win considerably more games without him.
After the tour of England, many downplayed Bumrah’s importance to Team India, suggesting that the team could manage without him, which is, frankly, a strange notion considering there is no greater match-winner in Team India than Bumrah.
Recently, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra recounted a conversation he had with Pakistan legend Waqar Younis, who praised the Indian pacer and claimed he surpasses legends like Wasim Akram and himself. Chopra mentioned that Younis expressed that Bumrah’s skill set and strategic thinking are superior to all others, declaring him the best the world has ever witnessed.
“We were in a car. Waqar Younis was with me. I asked him, ‘The entire cricket world has respect for Wasim Akram for the variations in his bowling and the control he possessed. He was par excellence. Bumrah is like right-handed Wasim Akram, right?’ He replied, ‘No, he is better than all of us. We didn’t have this thinking level at his age. His skill is better, his thinking is better. He is the best that the world has ever seen’,” Aakash Chopra said on YouTube.
Chopra expressed his frustration towards the trolls targeting Bumrah, stating that he feels pity for those who ridicule Bumrah regarding India’s performance while he is still a member of the team. He noted that just a few months back, many were claiming that India could not find a better captain than Bumrah, and now they are mocking him, which he finds quite astonishing.
“It was being said that India couldn’t have a better captain than Jasprit Bumrah. It was being asked why bowlers can’t become captains, as he was vice-captain under Rohit Sharma’s captaincy and had captained in Perth and won the match as well, so he should become the captain,” Chopra said.
“This is how it started, and this is how it’s going – trolling, that when he plays, the team loses, and doesn’t take full responsibility when he plays, which means from Boom Boom Bumrah, our fans have become gumrah (gone astray). I am very, very surprised and sorry,” he added.