"Jasprit Bumrah is the most valuable Indian cricketer right now" - Ravichandran Ashwin
Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has labeled speedster Jasprit Bumrah as Team India's most valuable cricketer. Ashwin highlighted Bumrah's presence in Chennai at a recent event and was glad to see the reception he got.
Bumrah, who made his debut for India in 2016, has grown to become one of the most incisive bowlers across formats. The Ahmedabad-born pacer has featured in 195 internationals, bagging 397 scalps across formats.
Speaking to Vimal Kumar on his YouTube Channel, Ashwin said Chennai people love bowlers and he was glad Bumrah was treated as a demigod in the city.
"We Chennai people appreciate bowlers a lot. He was here for an event as a chief guest 4-5 days ago. We gave him a Rajni treatment. We (Chennai people) treat bowlers very nicely. He should be treated as a champion. I don’t want to name, but Jasprit Bumrah is the most valuable Indian cricketer right now," he said.
Bumrah played an integral role in breaking India's ICC trophy drought recently when they won the T20 World Cup in June. Bumrah earned the Player of the Tournament award as he took 15 wickets in eight matches and played a starring role in the final against South Africa.
"It's never going to change" - Ravichandran Ashwin on India as a batsman-dominated country
Ashwin, who will be in action alongside Bumrah in the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, said the pacer deserves to be celebrated even more. The 100-Test veteran claimed in the same interaction:
"India has always been the country that is a batsman-dominated country, and it’s never going to change. But I am so glad and happy that we are celebrating Jasprit Bumrah. Jasprit Bumrah is a once-in-a-generation bowler. We should celebrate him even more."
India's two-match Test series against Bangladesh begins on September 19 in Chennai. Rohit Sharma and company will play three more Tests against New Zealand before heading to Australia for a five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy.