Jasprit Bumrah is simply one of the best bowlers in world cricket. For his consistency and dominance in the cricket field, many great cricketers have even termed him the best in the history of the game.
As per former India player Aakash Chopra, Pakistan legend Waqar Younis too has a similar opinion. Chopra revealed that when he compared Bumrah to Pakistan pace great Wasim Akram and asked Younis if Bumrah is similar to him, Younis said that the Indian pacer is the best.
“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’,” revealed Akash Chopra in a video on his YouTube channel.
Chopra also highlighted the issue of Bumrah being criticised over his workload management. Notably, the right-arm pacer played only three of the five Test matches in the recently-concluded England series to make sure he doesn’t injure himself.
“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.
The former India batter termed Bumrah a “generational talent who is head and shoulders above the rest”.
“He is the best bowler in the world right now across formats. If Bumrah plays only three matches, let him play. If workload management says that, without breaking down, I can keep Bumrah playing in important matches, I will do whatever it takes,” Chopra said.