Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison has made a fascinating comparison between Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and football icon Cristiano Ronaldo, emphasizing just how irreplaceable the bowler is. If Bumrah is going to miss the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy due to injury, that will be nothing less than a FIFA World Cup without Ronaldo at his peak for India.
Bumrah, who played a pivotal role in India’s recent Test series against Australia, is suffering from a back swelling and is unlikely to be available for the group stage of the tournament. However, Harmison feels that India should keep him in the squad till the last possible moment, hoping for his return in the knockout rounds. Speaking on TalkSport Cricket, Harmison made a strong case for India’s patience with their star pacer.
“He’s Jasprit Bumrah. You can’t replace him—he’s the best in the world,” Steve Harmison stated. “I would take him right up to the morning of the final if necessary. That’s how valuable he is to this Indian team.”
ALSO READ: Zaheer Khan Cautions Against Excessive Flexibility In Gautam Gambhir’s Approach
Bumrah is as important for India as if England had their star footballer at the major tournament, he said.
“It’s like going to a FIFA World Cup without your best striker, Cristiano Ronaldo. Fifteen years ago, you don’t replace Ronaldo unless absolutely necessary. That’s exactly how India should approach Bumrah’s situation.”
Harmison even jokingly suggested that India should “carry him around in a sedan chair” if needed, ensuring he remains in contention for the crucial knockout matches. The tournament for India is scheduled to begin on February 19 and their group matches will be played entirely in Dubai, as they are not keen to travel to Pakistan. Therefore, the ICC sanctioned a hybrid model for the event.
The Men in Blue are scheduled to play Bangladesh on February 20, arch-rivals Pakistan on February 23, and New Zealand on March 2. In case they advance, the semi-finals are planned for March 4 and 5, with the final scheduled for March 9. The question looming in everyone’s minds is whether Bumrah will be fit in time.
Bumrah was in prime form in the recently concluded five-match Test series in Australia, where he picked 32 wickets and was declared Player of the Series. Unfortunately, he was rested for the final day of the Sydney Test on account of his back problem as Australia sealed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
ALSO READ: Vaibhav Arora Calls KKR His Family, Aims For Another Title-Winning IPL Season
India will be cautious with Bumrah, considering his injury history. The ace pacer had missed nearly a year of international cricket—from September 2022 to August 2023—after undergoing back surgery. His fitness is once again under scrutiny, and India has a tough decision to make on managing his workload ahead of a crucial ICC event.
