In the first innings of the current first Test at Headingley, Leeds, star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah was once again at the top of his game as he swept through the English batting order to return with an incredible five-wicket haul. His 5-83 from 24.4 overs marked his 14th five-wicket haul in Test match cricket, making him, together with the great Kapil Dev, the Indian bowler with the second-most fifers in the format.
The India speedster’s skill set and display of brilliance really surprised former cricketer Aakash Chopra. He first took out openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley before taking out Joe Root, the mainstay of English batting. Later, he was responsible for the dismissals of Josh Tongue and Chris Woakes to finish, giving India a small but significant six-run lead. According to Chopra, investing in Jasprit Bumrah is similar to making a fixed deposit, with assured returns.
Given how amazing Jasprit Bumrah is as a player, an homage to him ought to be written. Like a fixed deposit, he is. He takes a wicket whenever you give him the ball and you need something. “He is simply amazing,” he declared in a June 23 video posted to his YouTube page.
Chopra: Priceless Jasprit Bumrah is deserving of the Bharat Ratna.
In the same video, Chopra previously stated that Bumrah is distinct from the other fast bowlers in the Indian team because Shardul Thakur did not bowl many overs during the two English batting days, while Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna never seemed to be as effective. Chopra believes that because Bumrah is unique, he should receive the highest civilian distinction given by the Indian government, the Bharat Ratna.
“Jasprit Bumrah has now claimed five wickets once more. He is incredibly valuable, so award him the Bharat Ratna. The man is unique. The cricketer-turned-commentator claimed that he could have taken eight wickets rather than five and given a lead of 160 runs instead of six if people had made catches and assisted him a bit more.
“Jassi was by himself, but Jasprit Bumrah is unmatched. Shardul Thakur was a sparse bowler. Prasidh Krishna appeared a tad too raw. Towards the end, Mohammed Siraj appeared worn out. “If you are wondering how many matches Jasprit can play, he will only be able to play three if he has to bowl a lot,” Chopra continued.
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