‘Jasprit Bumrah 1,000 times better…’: Kapil Dev praises Indian cricket team

The iconic former India all-rounder Kapil Dev shared that he feels Jasprit Bumrah is a “1000 times better” bowler than what he was at his prime.

Bumrah, who has been doing exceptionally well in the ongoing T20 World Cup, snaring 11 wickets at an outstanding economy of 4.08 in the 23 overs he has bowled so far. Bumrah, currently considered the top pacer in international cricket, has participated in 26 Tests for India, claiming 159 wickets with an economy rate of less than three.

“Bumrah is 1000 times better than me. These young boys are far better than us. We had more experience. They are better,” Kapil told news agency PTI.

Lauding the overall fitness levels of the current national cricket team, Kapil said, “They are very good. Outstanding. They are fitter.”

“They are much more hardworking. They are fantastic,” he added.

The cricket legend also said the collective performance, and not individual brilliance, will be the key factor in deciding whether Rohit Sharma-led team India can end its over-a-decade-long trophy drought.

“Why talk about only Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, or Kuldeep Yadav? Everybody has a role to play. Their job is to win the tournament,” Kapil told PTI.

“To win a match, an odd person can come out, but to win a tournament everybody has to work together. If we are going to depend on Bumrah or Arshdeep, then you are going to lose it,” he asserted.

Kapil also wished team India good luck ahead of their semi-final match against England and hoped that the Men in Blue clinch the trophy.

“All the Best, good luck, I hope the Indian players, the way they are playing keep on playing like that, they should not have a bad day and be out of the tournament (like) what happened last time in the 50 overs World Cup,” he said.

Kapil ended his career with a then world record 434 Test wickets and is considered one the best all-rounders of all time who also claimed 253 ODI scalps. The 65-year-old had led India to their maiden World Cup title in 1983.