Neeraj Chopra Touts Jasprit Bumrah's Javelin Potential: Watch the Surprising Prediction

Neeraj Chopra Predicts Which Cricketer Could Excel at Javelin

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra has identified Indian cricket team's fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah as a potential javelin star. During a segment on Star Sports hosted by Navjot Singh Sidhu, Chopra suggested that Bumrah's physical attributes and techniques as a fast bowler could translate well to javelin.

Chopra emphasized Bumrah's fitness and strength as crucial elements that would make him suitable for javelin if he weren't already a successful cricketer.

"I think it would be a fast bowler for sure. So, I think a fully fit Jasprit Bumrah will be good at it," Chopra stated on Star Sports.

Bumrah's recent cricket performance underscores his physical abilities. In the first Test match against England at Headingley, he achieved his 14th five-wicket haul in the first innings.

Despite Bumrah's efforts, England won the match by successfully chasing a target of 371 runs, with Ben Duckett scoring 149. This victory gave England a 1-0 lead in the five-match Test series.

In 2024, Bumrah's statistics showcase his exceptional skills, having taken 78 wickets in just 15 Test matches. This makes him the leading fast bowler globally during this period.

Bumrah's workload has been significant, as he has bowled 410.4 overs, which is the highest among all pace bowlers worldwide. This is more than Australia's Mitchell Starc, who has bowled 362.3 overs, and England's Gus Atkinson, with 328 overs and 54 wickets. Among Indian bowlers, Ravindra Jadeja is the only other player to exceed 400 overs, with 400.1 overs, while Mohammed Siraj, who has played the same number of matches as Bumrah, has bowled 355.3 overs.

Due to workload management, Bumrah is expected to rest for the upcoming Test at Edgbaston. Siraj is likely to lead the pace attack, even with his underwhelming performance in the Headingley Test.

The second Test of the series is scheduled to begin on July 2 in Birmingham, where India will aim to level the series against England.

This discussion highlights the potential crossover of athletic abilities between cricket and track and field, particularly the physical similarities between fast bowling and javelin.

The announcement coincided with the promotion of the Neeraj Chopra Classic javelin event, scheduled for July 5, to be broadcast on Star Sports.