Ravichandran Ashwin, who reached the milestone of 500 Test wickets earlier this year, has identified pacer Jasprit Bumrah (https://crickettime.in/news/jasprit-bumrah-is-back/) as the most valuable Indian cricketer at present, surpassing veteran batters Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in this regard.
Ashwin, the experienced spinner, heaped praise on Bumrah, who has led India’s pace attack in recent years. He described Bumrah as a bowler who has become a dominant force across all formats, rescuing India in crucial moments, including the T20 World Cup final, where his economical spell turned the game in India’s favour.
Bumrah’s rise began in IPL 2013 when his unorthodox action caught attention as he dismissed Kohli on debut. After excelling in domestic cricket and the IPL, Bumrah made his India debut in 2016, quickly becoming an essential part of the bowling unit.
Recalling Bumrah's recent visit to Chennai for an event, Ashwin revealed the admiration Bumrah received from fans, likening it to the adoration reserved for superstar Rajnikanth. "We in Chennai have a special appreciation for bowlers. When he came here 4-5 days ago, we gave him a Rajni treatment. Jasprit Bumrah is the most valuable Indian cricketer right now," Ashwin said during an interview on Vimal Kumar's YouTube channel.
Ashwin acknowledged India’s long-standing tradition of being a batsman-centric nation but emphasized the importance of celebrating a generational talent like Bumrah even more. "India has always been a batsman-dominated country, and that’s unlikely to change. But I’m glad to see the recognition Jasprit Bumrah is receiving. He is a once-in-a-generation bowler, and we should celebrate him more."
Bumrah is set to make his comeback to the Indian team for the first Test against Bangladesh at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium on September 19, following his heroics in the T20 World Cup final earlier this year.