Neeraj Chopra Tips Jasprit Bumrah for Javelin Success, Cites Cricketer's Strength and Fitness

Neeraj Chopra, India's Olympic javelin champion, has made a surprising pick for a cricketer who could potentially excel in javelin throw. During a recent segment on Star Sports hosted by Navjot Singh Sidhu, Chopra singled out Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian cricket team's fast bowler, as possessing the physical attributes and techniques necessary to dominate in the sport.

India's Neeraj Chopra (PTI Photo/Ravi Choudhary)

Chopra emphasized Bumrah's fitness and strength as crucial factors that would make him a natural fit for javelin, had he not already established himself 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.

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

England secured a victory in the match, successfully chasing a target of 371 runs, with Ben Duckett's impressive score of 149. This win granted England a 1-0 lead in the five-match Test series.

Bumrah's statistics for 2024 demonstrate his exceptional skills, having taken 78 wickets in only 15 Test matches, making him the leading fast bowler worldwide during this period.

His workload has been substantial, bowling 410.4 overs, surpassing all other pace bowlers globally. Australia's Mitchell Starc has bowled 362.3 overs, while England's Gus Atkinson has bowled 328 overs and taken 54 wickets. Ravindra Jadeja is the only other Indian bowler to exceed 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 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 begin on July 2 in Birmingham, where India will aim to level the series against England.

This discussion about Bumrah's potential in javelin highlights the intriguing overlap of athletic abilities between cricket and track and field, particularly the similarities in the physical requirements for fast bowling and javelin throwing.

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