Former India opener Aakash Chopra has criticised the backlash against Jasprit Bumrah following the recently concluded India-England Test series. Bumrah played three of the five matches; he faced trolling online for his limited participation.
Chopra noted the sharp shift in fan sentiment: from calls to make Bumrah captain before the series began to questioning his commitment once it ended.
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India and England drew the series 2–2. Bumrah took 14 wickets at an average of 26.00 with both of England's defeats coming in matches where the pacer was absent from the XI.
Aakash Chopra defends Jasprit Bumrah after India vs England Test series criticism
Chopra said fans had been vocal about Bumrah's captaincy potential earlier in the year but that optimism quickly turned into hostility.
"It was being said there couldn't be a better captain than Bumrah. Now it's trolling - that when he plays, the team loses, and he doesn't take full responsibility," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Calling Bumrah a "generational talent" and the best bowler in the world across formats, Chopra backed selective participation if it preserves his longevity.
"If Bumrah plays only three matches, let him. If workload management says that keeps him fit for big games, I'll do whatever it takes," he said.
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However, Chopra questioned the decision to publicly confirm before the series that Bumrah would feature in only three Tests. He said it allowed England to adjust their plans accordingly.
Chopra highlighted that Bumrah has bowled more overs and taken more wickets than Mohammed Siraj despite playing fewer matches since 2020. He also said that only Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc have more Test wickets than Bumrah in this period.