'Bumrah is better than all of us'- Waqar Younis said, claims Aakash Chopra; explains reason behind it

Waqar Younis is a legend of Pakistan cricket with 373 Test, and 416 ODI wickets.

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has claimed that legendary Pakistani pacer Waqar Younis stated that India pacer Jasprit Bumrah was better than both him and his bowling partner, the great Wasim Akram.

Jasprit Bumrah recently took 14 wickets with two fifers in the five-Test series in England, helping India level the series 2-2. This was in the absence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the team, as they have retired from the format, and R Ashwin called time on his international career.  

"We were in a car, and Waqar Younis was with me. I asked him, ‘The entire cricket world respects Wasim Akram for the variations in his bowling and the control he possessed. He was par excellence. Bumrah is like a right-handed Wasim Akram, right?’ He replied, ‘No, he is better than all of us,’” Chopra recalled on his YouTube channel.

Waqar Younis picked 373 wickets in 87 Tests and 416 wickets in 262 ODIs for Pakistan, while Wasim Akram took 414 wickets in 104 Tests and 502 wickets in 356 ODIs.

Waqar Younis also explained why he thinks Bumrah is better than former legends like him.

“We didn’t have this level of thinking at his age. His skill is better, his thinking is better. He is the best the world has ever seen,” Waqar told Chopra.

Jasprit Bumrah has 219 wickets in 48 Tests, 149 wickets in 89 ODIs, and 89 wickets in 70 T20Is for India, since his debut in 2016.