Former England pacer Steve Harmison has underscored the irreplaceable character of the fast bowler by drawing a shocking parallel between football legend Cristiano Ronaldo and India's best pacer Jasprit Bumrah.

According to Harmison, if Bumrah misses the ICC Champions Trophy due to injury, it will be similar to a FIFA World Cup without Ronaldo at his peak.

Bumrah, who played an important part in India's Test series against Australia, is unlikely to make the Champions Trophy group stage due to a back stress reaction. Harmison, on the other hand, is determined that India maintain him in the squad till the end in the hopes of advancing to the knockout stages.

"He's Jasprit Bumrah. For me, you can't replace Jasprit Bumrah anytime. And I mean, I would even go up to the morning of the final to take him that far because he's Jasprit Bumrah. He's the best in the world. That would be my take from an Indian point of view,” Harmison said while talking to TalkSport Cricket.

Harmison compared a football World Cup without one of the best forwards in history, Ronaldo to Bumrah's potential absence from Champions Trophy. India may "carry him around in a sedan chair" during the competition, Harmison joked, and hope he is available by the semifinals or final.

"It's like going to a football World Cup without your best striker, Cristiano Ronaldo. Fifteen years ago, you don't replace Ronaldo until you have to. That's what I imagine India will do with Bumrah.

It's a 14-man squad. That's good enough to get me through the group games. We might get him by the semifinal, more than the semifinal. If he's not fit, we'll replace him just in case we have another injury. But he's Jasprit Bumrah,” Harmison stated.

Jasprit Bumrah’s injury status is still up in the air and his selection for Champions Trophy 2025 depends on his recovery.