In all the toxicity between Rohit Sharma fans and Virat Kohli’s supporters, and the ugliness between Rishabh Pant fans and those backing Sanju Samson, Jasprit Bumrah is a breath of fresh air. He is the only Indian cricketer who seems to be universally loved. Take the case of Samson. Just a couple of matches earlier, he was scoring back-to-back hundreds and many said he has cemented his place for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Three matches into this T20I series against England, and his weakness against the short ball is the talking point.
Things don’t stop there. There will be Pant fans who put out videos of Pant playing the ramp shot to Jofra Archer in an attempt to ridicule Samson. The same happens with Samson supporters when he does well. The entire endeavour seems to be to belittle the other player.
This reaches a toxic peak when it comes to Rohit and Kohli. It is much like a hate contest. Who can be more scathing and disrespectful seems to be the competition. It is a cesspit, and quite disgusting to be honest. Rohit fans want Kohli to fail in the Ranji game today just because Rohit failed against Jammu and Kashmir. The same applies for Kohli supporters who celebrate Rohit’s every failure as captain.
Amid all this rubbish, Bumrah stands alone. His ICC Cricketer of the Year award has been celebrated by one and all. His injury hasn’t led to a single meme, and almost every fan is worried about him not being there for the Champions Trophy. His presence at the Coldplay concert in Ahmedabad was celebrated the country over and, in many ways, Bumrah has been able to unite the toxic sections of Indian cricket fandom.
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There could be two reasons behind this. First, he is India’s most valuable player by a country mile. When it comes to batting, there have been occasions where Rohit has done better than Kohli, and vice versa. The same applies to wicket-keeping. But when it comes to Bumrah, he has always been the Pied Piper whenever he has played. His skillset is unmatched and his presence was the singular factor that made India competitive in Australia. And it is no exaggeration to say that his being in the XI could well define India’s tour of England and the five-match Test series starting on June 20, 2025.
That’s what makes me say that India should be extremely careful with Bumrah. He is the one player in the current set-up who is indispensable. Not Kohli, not Pant, not anyone else. It is Bumrah India can’t do without. While the selectors will surely want him to play the Champions Trophy, especially with India taking on Pakistan in one of the high-voltage matches on February 23 in Dubai, the reality is that Bumrah can’t be risked. It is a back injury and not the first one. For someone with an awkward action, the chances of back injuries are always there. With the series in England just a few months away, India can’t afford to risk him.
Michael Clarke, the former Australian captain, said it nicely: “His skill set is such that not many in the world will find it comfortable playing him. While some bowlers are good in certain conditions, Bumrah is at ease in any conditions in any part of the world. That’s what makes him a standout option for India.”
Maybe that’s why he is universally loved – something that makes him unique in the age of social media.