Wasim Akram breaks silence on comparison with Jasprit Bumrah

Former Pakistan captain and pace maestro Wasim Akram has finally addressed comparisons between him and Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, a debate reignited earlier this year by former Indian cricketer Varun Aaron.

In June, Aaron sparked discussions in the cricketing world by claiming that Bumrah is “better than Wasim Akram” following his sensational five-wicket haul against England in the opening Test at Headingley.

"Calling him a genius would be an understatement. 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," Aaron said.

Aaron’s remarks provoked strong reactions from former cricketers.

Former Pakistan pacer Abdur Rauf Khan expressed astonishment at the claim, while Sri Lanka all-rounder Farveez Maharoof described Bumrah as one of the most difficult bowlers across formats today, noting his dominance while drawing cautious comparisons with Akram in his prime.

During a recent special appearance on the Geo News program 'Hasna Mana Hai', Akram shared his thoughts on the current generation of cricket bowlers, reflecting on comparisons between past and present players and commenting on ongoing debates in the cricketing community.

He spoke about the exceptional talent of Bumrah and addressed the social media discussions surrounding former cricketers.

"Jasprit Bumrah is one of the greatest bowlers in the world. No doubt about it. He has a very unusual action and also has pace. As I said, comparing bowlers from the ’90s to now is impossible. He is a right-arm bowler, I was a left-arm bowler."

The 59-year-old cricket legend reflected on the ongoing debates surrounding contemporary players and the contrasting styles of different eras and also spoke candidly about the discussions he often sees online.

"We keep seeing debates on social media. Like meddling in someone else’s wedding – people are going crazy. Neither does it matter to me, nor does it matter to him. These former cricketers are fighting among themselves."

He also praised the skills of a current player, highlighting the differences between generations while acknowledging modern talent.

"He is a modern great. We were from our own era. We did our work, different bowlers did theirs. But I must say, this bowler is very interesting," he concluded.