Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra Taps Jasprit Bumrah as Potential Javelin Star

Neeraj Chopra, India's Olympic champion, has made a surprising pick for a cricketer who could potentially dominate in the javelin throw: Jasprit Bumrah. Chopra believes Bumrah's physical attributes and bowling techniques would translate well to the sport.

During a Star Sports segment hosted by Navjot Singh Sidhu, Chopra highlighted Bumrah's fitness and strength as key assets. He suggested that if Bumrah weren't already a successful cricketer, he would be well-suited for the javelin.

"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.

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

England ultimately won the match, chasing down a target of 371 runs, with Ben Duckett scoring 149. This victory gave England a 1-0 lead in the five-match Test series.

Bumrah's statistics in 2024 are impressive. He has claimed 78 wickets in just 15 Test matches, making him the leading fast bowler globally during this period.

His workload has been substantial, bowling 410.4 overs, the highest among all pace bowlers worldwide. This exceeds Australia's Mitchell Starc (362.3 overs) and England's Gus Atkinson (328 overs, 54 wickets). Ravindra Jadeja is the only other Indian bowler to surpass 400 overs, with 400.1 overs bowled. 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 be rested for the upcoming Test at Edgbaston. Siraj is likely to lead the pace attack, despite his less-than-stellar performance in the Headingley Test.

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

Chopra's comments about Bumrah's javelin potential highlight the overlapping athletic demands of cricket and track and field, particularly the physical similarities between fast bowling and javelin throwing.

The announcement coincided with the promotion of the Neeraj Chopra Classic javelin throw event on July 5, which will be broadcast on Star Sports.