Former Indian pacer claims Jasprit Bumrah is 'better' than Wasim Akram
Aaron praised Bumrah, saying his performance puts him in Wasim Akram’s league
Former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron has stirred debate in the cricketing world by claiming that Jasprit Bumrah is “better than Wasim Akram” following his sensational five-wicket haul against England in the opening Test at Headingley.
During a recent interview, Aaron praised Bumrah’s performance, noting that such feats place him in the same league as the legendary Pakistani pacer.
“Calling him a genius would be an understatement,” Aaron remarked.
“He has now gone past Wasim Akram in terms of wickets taken in SENA countries. That says it all for me because Wasim was arguably the best fast bowler to walk the face of the earth—and Bumrah is pretty much the same, if not better,” he added.
Aaron also highlighted that Bumrah achieved this feat in significantly fewer innings than Akram, underlining his exceptional impact.
Bumrah was once again the standout performer for India, claiming 5 wickets in the first innings—removing Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Chris Woakes, and Josh Tongue.
His efforts helped India gain a narrow first-innings lead and saw him break multiple records.
With his Headingley haul, Bumrah surpassed Wasim Akram to become the Asian bowler with the most Test wickets in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia).
His current tally stands at 150 wickets in just 60 innings, eclipsing some of the greatest names in Asian cricket history.
Most Test wickets by Asian bowlers in SENA
- Jasprit Bumrah – 150*
- Wasim Akram – 146
- Anil Kumble – 141
- Ishant Sharma – 130
- Muttiah Muralitharan – 125
The 31-year-old also matched Kapil Dev’s long-standing record for the most five-wicket hauls in overseas Tests by an Indian bowler.
This was Bumrah’s 12th five-wicket haul, achieved in just 34 Tests—while Kapil reached the same number in 66 matches.
Most five-wicket hauls by Indian bowlers in away Tests:
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