New Delhi: Former England fast bowler and legend Steve Harmison has compared Indian fast bowling sensation Jasprit Bumrah to football legend Cristiano Ronaldo. He says that if Jasprit Bumrah misses the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, it would be like a football World Cup without Cristiano Ronaldo.
Reports of Jasprit Bumrah potentially missing the upcoming mega ICC event have raised concerns, as the fast bowler sustained a back injury during the 5th and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Sydney, Australia.
Speaking to TalkSport Cricket, Harmison said, “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, and from an Indian perspective, that’s how we see it,” said the cricket analyst. “It’s like going to a football World Cup with your star striker, Cristiano Ronaldo. Fifteen years ago, you didn’t replace Ronaldo unless you absolutely had to, and I believe India will approach Bumrah in a similar way.”
“The strategy would be to include him in the squad and carry him along like a prized asset. It’s a 14-man squad, and Bumrah’s presence alone is enough to guide us through the group games.”
“Perhaps he’ll be fit by the semi-final, or even after that. If he’s still unfit, then we’ll replace him as a precaution in case another injury occurs. But one thing’s for sure – he’s Jasprit Bumrah.”
The Champions Trophy, featuring the world’s top eight ODI teams, will kick off on February 19, with matches scheduled across Karachi, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Dubai for India’s games.
India’s final group match is set for March 2 against New Zealand, though it remains uncertain whether Jasprit Bumrah will be available for the match. Before this, India will face Bangladesh on February 20 and Pakistan on February 23. All of India’s matches will be played in Dubai, as the team declined to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns, leading the ICC to implement a hybrid model. The semi-finals will take place on March 4 and 5, with the final scheduled for March 9.
Bumrah was a standout performer in the recent five-match Test series in Australia, where he claimed 32 wickets and earned the player of the series award. However, he missed the final day of the series in Sydney due to injury, and Australia emerged victorious, reclaiming the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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