ICC Champions Trophy 2025: 'Carry him in a sedan chair' - Steve Harmison compares Jasprit Bumrah to Cristiano Ronaldo

India’s premier pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, is currently one of the most discussed cricketers among the fans and cricket experts. Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness is currently the major concern for the Men in Blue ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

With less than ten days left to the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 kickoff in Pakistan, the BCCI and the Indian cricket team management are eagerly awaiting the scan reports from the NCA medical team to have a clear-cut answer on Bumrah’s availability for the marquee event.

India await scan reports as Jasprit Bumrah's availability for ICC Champions Trophy 2025 unclear

Bumrah is the backbone of the Indian bowling attack, and he is currently recovering from the back spasm that he suffered on the recent Australia tour. However, the fast bowler was named in India’s squads for the third and final ODI as well as for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

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But there is still no clarity on whether the Indian pacer will take the flight to Dubai within the next few days or undergo rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. With the reports on Bumrah’s scans expected within 48 hours, former England pacer Steve Harmison made a bold statement on his whole situation.

Actually, Steve Harmison made a stunning comparison between Jasprit Bumrah and football legend Cristiano Ronaldo while hailing the Indian pacer as the best in the world.

Steve Harmison says Bumrah's absence would be like a World Cup without Cristiano Ronaldo

The former England pacer said that Bumrah's possible absence from the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 would be as significant as a football World Cup without Cristiano Ronaldo.

Highlighting Bumrah's unmatched impact with the ball in any condition and any phase of the game, Harmison said that the Indian speedster is a game-changer and he can’t be replaced, at least for now, so it will be interesting to see what India does if he fails to get the green signal from the NCA.

Steve Harmison was quoted as saying by TalkSport cricket, “He’s Jasprit Bumrah. For me, you can’t replace Jasprit Bumrah anytime. And I mean, I would even go up to the morning of the final to take him that far because he’s Jasprit Bumrah. He’s the best in the world. So that would be my take from an Indian point of view.”

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Just put him in the squad and carry him around in a sedan chair: Steve Harmison's suggestion to India

Comparing Bumrah's importance to Ronaldo in football, the Englishman suggested India should keep their main bowler in the 15-member squad despite fitness concerns and hope that he will be available by the knockouts of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy.

Harmison signed off by saying, “It’s like going to a football World Cup with your best striker, Cristiano Ronaldo. 15 years ago, you didn’t replace Ronaldo until you had to replace him. So, I think I would imagine that’s what India will do. Just put him in the squad and carry him around in a sedan chair.

"It’s a 14-man squad. That’s good enough to get me through the group games. We might get him by the semifinal, more than the semifinal. If he’s not fit, we’ll replace him just in case we have another injury. But he’s Jasprit Bumrah.”