Former England fast bowler Steve Harmison has drawn a striking parallel between India's ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah and football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, emphasising the irreplaceable nature of the fast bowler. Harmison believes that if Bumrah is forced to miss the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy due to injury, it would be akin to a FIFA World Cup without Ronaldo at his peak. Bumrah, who played a pivotal role in India's Test series against Australia, is struggling with a swelling on his back and is likely to miss the group stage of the Champions Trophy.
However, Harmison insists that India should keep him in the squad until the last possible moment in hopes of his return for the knockout rounds.
Speaking on TalkSport Cricket, Harmison made a compelling case for India's patience with their premier fast bowler.
"He's Jasprit Bumrah. For me, you can't replace Jasprit Bumrah anytime," Harmison said. "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. That would be my take from an Indian point of view."
The former England pacer likened Bumrah's potential absence to a football World Cup without one of the greatest forwards of all time.
"It's like going to a football World Cup without your best striker, Cristiano Ronaldo. Fifteen years ago, you don't replace Ronaldo until you have to. That's what I imagine India will do with Bumrah."
Harmison even joked that India could “carry him around in a sedan chair” throughout the tournament and hope that he is available by the semi-finals or the final.
"It's a 14-man squad. That's good enough to get me through the group games. We might get him by the semifinal, more than the semifinal. If he's not fit, we'll replace him just in case we have another injury. But he's Jasprit Bumrah."
The Champions Trophy is set to begin on February 19, featuring the world's top eight ODI teams. India will play all their matches in Dubai due to their refusal to travel to Pakistan, which prompted the ICC to approve a hybrid model.
India's group-stage campaign includes matches against Bangladesh (February 20), Pakistan (February 23), and New Zealand (March 2). If India progresses, the semi-finals will take place on March 4 and 5, with the final set for March 9. Whether Bumrah will be ready by then remains uncertain.
Bumrah was in sensational form during India's recent five-match Test series in Australia, where he bagged 32 wickets and was named Player of the Series. However, he sat out the final day of the series in Sydney due to his back injury, as Australia claimed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Injury woes have plagued the Indian speedster before. Bumrah previously missed almost a year of international cricket, from September 2022 to August 2023, due to a back surgery. Given his recurring fitness concerns, India will be cautious in rushing him back.
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