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Jasprit Bumrah India Test
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All-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has come out in support of fellow Indian teammate and star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was embroiled in a controversy for a statement that he had made about being the 'fittest cricketer'.

While engaging with fans at a social event, Bumrah was rapid fire question about who the 'fittest cricketer' was in the Indian cricket team, to which he replied by naming himself, instead of the expected answer of Virat Kohli.

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"I know the answer that you are searching for [is Virat Kohli]. But I would like to say my name. Because I am a fast bowler and I have been playing for a while," the 30-year-old said.

"Being a fast bowler and playing in this country, in the heat, takes a lot of requirements. I will always promote fast bowlers, and I will always take a fast bowler's name (as the fittest Indian cricketer)," he added.

However, fans and in particular supporters of India star Kohli did not take a liking to Bumrah's reply, with many pointing out that he had 'disrespected' the former player.

In light of this controversy, Ashwin came out to defend the fast bowler's comment, calling him the 'crowned jewel of Indian cricket', and compared him a 'trucker lorry'.

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What did Ravichandran Ashwin say in support of Jasprit Bumrah's 'fittest cricketer' comment?

Ashwin compared Jasprit Bumrah to the famous prized jewel 'Kohinoor' while speaking about the Indian pacer during an interview with sports journalist Vimal Kumar.

The 38-year-old told fans that Bumrah is a precious jewel in Indian cricket and that he should be reserved the right to voice any of his opinions freely, without it becoming a controversy.

Jasprit Bumrah is a fast bowler. He bowls at 145 (kmph) in the sun. He works so hard, and the best in India. He is a crowned jewel in Indian cricket. The Kohinoor diamond of Indian cricket nowadays is Jasprit Bumrah. Whatever he wants to say, let him say it. We should accept it. 

Ashwin compared the pacer to the legendary 1983 World Cup winning captain and reputed allrounder Kapil Dev, saying: "Jasprit Bumrah is India's best bowler since Kapil Dev and has won us big matches."

On being question about Bumrah's frequent injury concerns, Ashwin used a metaphor to compare the fast bowler to a tipper lorry.

He highlighted the high-performance output of both of them but acknowledged that even the big vehicle is also expected to breakdown (injury) someday, after carrying heavy loads.

People say he gets injured, [questioning] how is he can be the fittest? There is a stark difference between a tipper lorry and a Mercedes Benz. A Benz is driven cautiously by the chauffeur and is high maintenance.

A tipper lorry, on the other hand, is driven from north to south despite carrying all the load. A fast bowler is a tipper lorry. He will break down, it is inevitable. Despite all the stress, he is bowling 145 (kmph).

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'Once in a generation bowler' - What has Virat Kohli said about Jasprit Bumrah in the past?

During the parade celebrations following India's T20 World Cup triumph, Kohli had singled out Bumrah and praised the star pacer for his impact on the team, calling him a 'once in a generation' fast bowler.

"You know what I'd like everyone to do is applaud a guy who brought us back into games again and again and again in this tournament. What he did in those last five overs, bowling two out of the last five overs, was phenomenal. A huge round of applause for Jasprit Bumrah, please..." he said.

Kohli had also called him the country's national treasure, and the that he would sign the petition to call Bumrah, as the 'Eighth Wonder of the World'.

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Mohit Khakhar Photo

Mohit Khakhar is a content producer for The Sporting News India.