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Despite the shifting narrative around Jasprit Bumrah — with critics questioning his workload management and pointing out India’s losses in his presence — Pakistan legend Waqar Younis has continued to heap praise on the 31-year-old, as revealed by former India cricketer Aakash Chopra during a recent interaction.
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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra revealed that when he recently ran into Younis, with whom he shared a car ride, he compared Bumrah to Pakistan pace great Wasim Akram and asked for his thoughts. Younis replied that Bumrah was “better than all of us,” praising his superior skill, sharper cricketing mind, and declaring him the best the world has ever seen.
“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’,” Akash Chopra said.
The former India opener also discussed the recent discussions around Bumrah’s workload, as the Indian fast bowler played just three matches during the recent tour of England. It was a pre-decided move by the selectors and team management, in consultation with the BCCI medical team, keeping in mind the back injury he suffered earlier this year during the Australia Test series.
“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.
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