India’s pace-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah recently at an event said that he would like to believe he is the 'fittest cricketer' in the Indian team. Bumrah faced backlash on social media for his comments. Now Bumrah has got the backing of teammate Ravichandran Ashwin as he believes the pacer can say whatever he wants. He also hit back at trolls by giving an example of a ‘tipper lorry’ and a ‘Mercedes Benz’.
"People immediately say Bumrah got injured; how can he be the fittest? Boss, there's a huge difference between a tipper lorry and a Mercedes Benz. Mercedes is chauffeur-driven; its spare parts are very costly. Now, think about a Tipper Lorry. It has to go from North to South with so much load. A fast bowler is a tipper lorry. He will break down. He has returned after a stress fracture and is bowling at 145, give credit to him," Ashwin said.
The ‘crown jewel’ of Indian team
Ashwin went on to call Bumrah a "Kohinoor diamond". He lauded Bumrah for bowling with a speed of 145kmph in testing conditions of Chennai.
"Why do you want to make this thing big? Jasprit Burmrah is a fast bowler who clocks 145 kph in the scorching heat, slogs so hard and is the crowned jewel of Indian cricket. They took the Kohinoor diamond but Bumrah is currently India's Kohinoor diamond. Let Jasprit Bumrah say whatever he wants to, just accept it," the 38-year-old said on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin draws parallels between Bumrah and Kapil Dev
Bumrah who was named ‘Player of the tournament’ for his consistent performances in T20 World Cup 2024, was compared to former Indian captain Kapil Dev. Ashwin lauded the 30-year-old’s ability to be a match winner.
"Tell me one thing: Has any fast bowler after Kapil Dev become as big (as Bumrah)? Bumrah is the only one who comes and wins you matches. Also, you asked Jasprit Bumrah the question, and then you also want to answer it. You are saying, 'I'm not satisfied with your answer'. How is this fair?" asked the all-rounder.
Ashwin bagged a six-wicket haul and scored a century against Bangladesh in the first Test at his homeground. He will be seen in action again when India take on Bangladesh in the second Test at Green Park, Kanpur.
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