Neeraj Chopra Eyes Cricket Star: Jasprit Bumrah Tipped for Javelin Success

Neeraj Chopra, India's Olympic champion, has identified Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian cricket team's prominent fast bowler, as a potential javelin thrower. This surprising pick was revealed during a segment on Star Sports, hosted by Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Neeraj Chopra believes Jasprit Bumrah's physique and technique would translate well to javelin.

Chopra, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, based his assessment on the physical attributes and techniques inherent in fast bowlers. He emphasized Bumrah's fitness and strength as crucial elements that would make him a natural fit for the javelin, had he not already found success in cricket.

"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 on Star Sports.

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

Despite Bumrah's efforts, England won the match, chasing a target of 371 runs. Ben Duckett's impressive 149 runs contributed significantly to England's victory, giving them a 1-0 lead in the five-match Test series.

Bumrah's statistics in 2024 speak volumes about his prowess. He has claimed 78 wickets in just 15 Test matches, surpassing all other fast bowlers globally. His workload has been substantial, delivering 410.4 overs, the highest among all pace bowlers worldwide. Australia's Mitchell Starc follows with 362.3 overs, and England's Gus Atkinson with 328 overs and 54 wickets. Among Indian bowlers, only Ravindra Jadeja has exceeded 400 overs, bowling 400.1 overs, while Mohammed Siraj, despite playing the same number of matches as Bumrah, has bowled 355.3 overs.

Due to workload management considerations, Bumrah is expected to be rested for the upcoming Test at Edgbaston. Siraj is likely to spearhead the pace attack, despite his less-than-stellar performance in the Headingley Test.

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

This discussion about Bumrah's potential in the javelin throw underscores the transferable athletic skills between cricket and track and field, particularly the shared physical demands of fast bowling and javelin throwing. The announcement coincided with the promotion of the Neeraj Chopra Classic javelin throw event, set for July 5 and to be broadcast on Star Sports.