Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra Sees Javelin Potential in Cricketer Jasprit Bumrah

Neeraj Chopra, India's Olympic champion, believes that Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian cricket team's fast bowler, possesses the attributes to succeed in javelin throw. Chopra shared his insights during a Star Sports segment hosted by Navjot Singh Sidhu, citing Bumrah's fitness and technique as key factors.

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

Chopra emphasized that Bumrah's exceptional fitness and strength would translate well to javelin throwing, were he not already a prominent figure 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 performances underscore his athletic capabilities. In the first Test match against England, he achieved his 14th five-wicket haul in the first innings.

While England ultimately won the match, chasing down a target of 371 runs, Bumrah's individual performance stood out.

Bumrah's statistics in 2024 highlight his dominance. He has secured 78 wickets in just 15 Test matches, leading all fast bowlers worldwide in this period. His bowling workload has also been substantial, totaling 410.4 overs, the highest among all pace bowlers globally.

This exceeds the overs bowled by Australia's Mitchell Starc (362.3) and England's Gus Atkinson (328). Ravindra Jadeja is the only other Indian bowler to surpass 400 overs, with 400.1.

Due to workload management, Bumrah is expected to be rested for the upcoming Test at Edgbaston. Siraj is likely to spearhead the pace attack.

The second Test of the series is scheduled to commence on July 2 in Birmingham.

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

The announcement coincided with the promotion of the upcoming Neeraj Chopra Classic javelin throw event, slated for July 5.