India’s Olympic gold medalist and world champion in javelin throw, Neeraj Chopra, believes that fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah would make a great javelin thrower if he ever switched sports.
In an interaction with Star Sports, quoted by Olympics.com, Neeraj said, “I think it would be a fast bowler (A good javelin thrower from other sport), for sure. So, I think a fully fit Jasprit Bumrah, in his prime, will be good at it.”
Fast bowlers and javelin throwers share many physical and technical similarities, including the need for a strong run-up, good rhythm, explosive power in the core, legs, and shoulders, and precise timing at the release point. Bumrah, known for his unconventional action and deadly pace, could translate those athletic attributes well into a javelin setup, Chopra suggested.
Bumrah, who is currently the world’s top-ranked Test bowler, recently starred in the Leeds Test against England by picking a five-wicket haul in the first innings. Though wicketless in the second innings, his contributions remain central to India’s pace attack.
Meanwhile, Neeraj Chopra is set to compete in the Neeraj Chopra Classic on July 5 in Bengaluru, a major event for Indian athletics fans.
Neeraj recently reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the World Athletics men’s javelin throw rankings, overtaking Grenada’s Anderson Peters. According to Olympics.com, Neeraj now holds 1,445 ranking points, ahead of Peters (1,431) and Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem (1,370), who sits in fourth place.
Neeraj lost the top position to Peters after the Paris Olympics in 2024, where he claimed a silver medal with a throw of 89.45 m, while Peters won bronze.
2025 has been remarkable for Neeraj. He started with a win at the Potch Invitational in South Africa in April, followed by a historic 90.23 m throw at the Doha Diamond League, his first time crossing the 90-metre mark. He secured another second place at the Janusz Kusocinski Memorial in Poland, and bounced back with back-to-back wins at the Paris Diamond League and the Ostrava Golden Spike, recording top throws of 88.16 m and 85.29 m, respectively.
Both Bumrah and Chopra are currently at the peak of their respective sports, and Neeraj’s admiration for Bumrah’s athletic prowess highlights the mutual respect between India’s top athletes.