"We're not winning with Jasprit Bumrah": Ex-India star drops truth bomb ahead of 4th Test

As the pressure builds ahead of the do-or-die fourth Test in Manchester, former Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has issued a dramatic reminder to the Indian cricket team about Jasprit Bumrah.

He said that Jasprit Bumrah must play in the fourth Test against England but noted that winning with the ace pacer is now the real challenge for India. Despite being India’s biggest match-winner, Bumrah's presence in the playing XI hasn’t translated into victories lately.

Aakash Chopra says India must play Jasprit Bumrah

He played in the first and third tests on the ongoing England tour, but India lost both games at Headingley and Lord’s. He was rested for the Edgbaston Test, and India won that.

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Ahead of the Manchester encounter, Chopra reminded India of that truth despite Bumrah having bagged 12 wickets at an excellent average of 21.00 in the two Test matches so far in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. However, his second-innings impact has been limited at Lord’s.

He’s been deadly early, with two five-wicket hauls, but has faded later in the games. Now, with India trailing 1-2 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Chopra believes that Bumrah must be unleashed again in Manchester, but the team needs more than just his fire to finish strong in Manchester.

I don't know why we are not winning with Jasprit Bumrah: Jasprit Bumrah

Aakash Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel, “Bumrah must play the next Test match. You are 2-1 down and would want to go to the Oval at 2-2. Whatever happens at the Oval, so be it. To be fair, there is still time. It's not like they are back-to-back Test matches. The next match is starting on the 23rd. So, we have time.”

The commentator added, “So, he should play the next match for sure. Of course, there is a problem, and I don't know why it is that we are not winning with Bumrah but are winning without him. This is a new story; not that we are winning too many, let's be honest, but we are unable to win even with Bumrah. That is going to be a bit of a tough thing, but Bumrah should definitely play the next match.”

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Aakash Chopra picks Jasprit Bumrah as the world’s best all-format bowler

Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra has picked Jasprit Bumrah over Mitchell Starc as the best all-format bowler in the world. Praising Starc for his heroics in knockout games, especially his record-breaking spell in the recent pink-ball Test, where the West Indies were bundled out for just 27, Chopra feels Bumrah’s consistency across formats makes him the best in the world.

Chopra signed off by saying, “I feel, if we talk about an all-format bowler, Bumrah is slightly ahead. What makes Mitchell Starc different is that when he reaches the knockout stages, he raises his game to a very, very different level. Mitchell Starc definitely brings more to that game there. However, overall, look at Bumrah, and you say, 'Jassi, there is no one like you; you are even better than Starc.' There is no better all-format bowler than him.”

Notably, Bumrah has taken 455 wickets in international cricket so far, with an impressive average of 20.47 across 247 innings in all three formats. On the other hand, Australian star Starc has claimed a total of 725 wickets in 384 innings at an average of 25.45 in international cricket so far.