Neeraj Chopra Touts Jasprit Bumrah's Javelin Potential: Olympic Champion Sees Crossover Athleticism

Neeraj Chopra, India's Olympic gold medalist, has made an unexpected pick for a cricketer who could potentially dominate in javelin throw: Jasprit Bumrah. During a recent segment on Star Sports hosted by Navjot Singh Sidhu, Chopra highlighted Bumrah's physical attributes and techniques as key factors that could translate well to the sport.

Chopra emphasized Bumrah's exceptional fitness and strength, suggesting that if the fast bowler wasn't already a star in cricket, he would be well-suited for 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 performance in cricket underscores his physical capabilities. In the first Test match against England at Headingley, he showcased his prowess by securing his 14th five-wicket haul in the first innings.

Despite Bumrah's efforts, England won the match, successfully 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 highlight his remarkable form. He has claimed 78 wickets in just 15 Test matches, leading all fast bowlers globally in this period.

His workload has been significant, as evidenced by the 410.4 overs he has bowled, the highest among all pace bowlers worldwide. This surpasses Australia's Mitchell Starc (362.3 overs) and England's Gus Atkinson (328 overs and 54 wickets).

Among Indian bowlers, Ravindra Jadeja is the only other player to have exceeded 400 overs, bowling 400.1 overs. Mohammed Siraj, who has played the same number of matches as Bumrah, has bowled 355.3 overs.

Given workload management considerations, Bumrah is expected to be rested for the upcoming Test at Edgbaston. Siraj is anticipated to lead the pace attack, despite his underwhelming performance in the Headingley Test.

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

This discussion about Bumrah's potential in javelin throw underscores the transferable athletic abilities between cricket and track and field events, particularly the similarities in physical demands between fast bowling and javelin throwing.

The announcement was made as part of the promotion for the upcoming Neeraj Chopra Classic javelin throw event, scheduled for July 5, which will be broadcast on Star Sports.