"If he has to bowl so much, he will be able to play 3 matches only" - Aakash Chopra lauds Jasprit Bumrah's 5-wicket haul in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Jasprit Bumrah for picking up a five-wicket haul in the first Test against England. However, he noted that the ace pacer is unlikely to play more than three matches in the series, considering his workload in the first game.

Bumrah registered figures of 5/83 in 24.4 overs as India bowled England out for 465 in their first innings on Day 3 (Sunday, June 22) in Leeds. The visitors ended the day at 90/2 in their second innings, with a lead of 96 runs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener opined that Bumrah deserves a Bharat Ratna for his exemplary performances, but expressed pessimism about the seamer's chances of playing more than three Tests in the five-match series.

"Jasprit Bumrah has taken one more five-wicket haul. Give him the Bharat Ratna because he is absolutely priceless. The guy is different. If people had taken catches and helped him a little more, he might have taken, not five, but eight wickets, and would have given a lead of 160 runs instead of six," Chopra said (0:05).

"There is no one like Bumrah, but Jassi was alone. Shardul Thakur didn't bowl much. Prasidh Krishna looked slightly undercooked. Mohammed Siraj looked tired towards the end. If you have the question in your mind as to how many matches Jasprit will be able to play, if he has to bowl so much, he will be able to play three matches only," he added.

Aakash Chopra reckoned that Jasprit Bumrah will likely play the second Test as there is a week's gap for recovery. He added that the unconventional pacer will potentially have to skip the third Test before playing the penultimate game of the series.

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"An ode to Jasprit Bumrah should be written" - Aakash Chopra

Jasprit Bumrah has picked up 150 Test wickets in SENA countries. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Jasprit Bumrah needs to be glorified, highlighting that he delivers whenever required.

"An ode to Jasprit Bumrah should be written, such a phenomenal player that he is. He is like a fixed deposit. Whenever you need something, and give him the ball, he picks up a wicket. He is absolutely sensational," he said.

While observing that the Indian seamer is the highest wicket-taking Asian in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia), the cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that he took far fewer deliveries to surpass Wasim Akram.

"He has taken the most wickets by an Asian bowler in SENA countries. Wasim Akram is at No. 2. Wasim bhai took fewer innings than Bumrah, so you feel Wasim bhai might have taken them quicker, but that's not the case. Wasim Akram bowled 1200 more balls to reach there. This guy is just unreal. He is Superman without a cape," Chopra observed.

Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj were the only other Indian bowlers among the wickets in England's first innings. While the former conceded 128 runs in 20 overs for his three wickets, the latter gave away 122 runs in 27 overs for his two scalps.