Rouf Disagrees with Bumrah-Akram Comparison

Former Pakistani fast bowler Abdur Rouf Khan conveyed his surprise at recent statements made by former Indian cricketer Varun Aaron. Aaron had asserted that Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is superior to Pakistani legend Wasim Akram.

During an interview, Aaron praised Bumrah’s impressive performances, stating that the Indian star has now taken more wickets in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) countries than Akram.

“Calling him a genius is an understatement,” Aaron commented.

“He has surpassed Wasim Akram in terms of wickets in SENA countries, which speaks volumes. Wasim was arguably the best fast bowler ever, and Bumrah is nearly the same, if not better,” he added.

Aaron also pointed out that Bumrah reached this milestone in significantly fewer innings than Akram, emphasizing his impact.

However, Rouf disagreed with the comparison and expressed his disapproval on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter).

Rouf stated, “I am taken aback by former Indian players comparing Bumrah to Wasim Akram. It would be understandable if someone with no cricket knowledge said such a thing, but for a Test cricketer to do so suggests either a lack of cricket understanding or extreme bias.”

He further added, “Wasim Akram was undoubtedly one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history. His naturally gifted abilities are unmatched.”

Notably, Wasim Akram remains a celebrated figure in global cricket.

The legendary left-arm pacer holds the position of the second-highest wicket-taker in ODI history, securing 502 wickets in 356 matches with an average of 23.52 and an economy rate of 3.89. In Test cricket, Akram claimed 414 wickets in 104 matches, maintaining an average of 23.62 and an economy rate of 2.59.