Pakistan women’s cricket team in action© X (formerly Twitter)

The Indian cricket team fans have long been split over their choices for the “fittest cricketer in the side”. While Ravindra Jadeja has been hailed by many experts all around the world, Virat Kohli has excelled over the years and is a major favourite among the fans. However, India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah‘s answer to the question has resulted in a massive war on social media. When asked to choose the fittest cricketer in India, Bumrah said that he knows that the expected answer is Kohli but he put forward his own name. He added that he will always try to promote fast bowlers in these situations.

“I know the answer you’re searching for” ????

This much arrogance after 1st good performance in ICC Knockouts?? This choker choked in every tournament till 2023

Chumrah since debut, has missed more than 50 matches due to injury but i’M FiTtEstpic.twitter.com/miKKoeiWwH

— Gaurav (@Melbourne__82) September 13, 2024

“I know the answer that you are searching for but I would like to say my name because I am a fast bowler,” he said.

Virat got trolled for failing in big games,

Rohit got trolled for failing in big games,

Sachin got trolled for failing in big games,

People thrown stones at house of MSD during 2007,

But if you speak about Bumrah’s failure before 2024 WC, you will be labeled as a criminal here. pic.twitter.com/WEEG9ROZQE

— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) September 13, 2024

“I’ve been playing for a while. Being a fast bowler and playing in this country in the heat takes a lot of requirement. So I’ll always promote fast bowlers and always take their name,” Bumrah added.

Love this confident standing up for himself version of Bumrahpic.twitter.com/JK4aaHV3Tg

— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) September 13, 2024

However, the reply has resulted in a war between the fans on social media.

Meanwhile, India fast bowler Akash Deep has hailed pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, saying “he has been uniquely crafted by God” and it’s really tough to follow his actions.

Akash made his memorable Test debut in February against England in Ranchi, where Rahul Dravid handed him his cap. He made everyone take notice with a fiery opening spell. With impressive performances in red-ball cricket, he now earned a spot in the 16-member squad for the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai.

“This is a huge responsibility that I have been given, allowing me to serve my team. Shami bhai is currently injured… I see this as a responsibility and am trying my best to live up to the faith that the selectors and BCCI management have placed in me,” Akash Deep told IANS on his selection to the Indian squad.

Asked about his inspiration behind his fast bowling, Akash Deep said, “I don’t follow just one bowler too much”, and hailed Bumrah as a unique bowler while admitting that he can’t learn everything from him as he is tough to follow.

“Every bowler in the world has their own unique action and technique, and each one is great in their own way. I follow Rabada a bit, and Bumrah is a legend. It’s hard to follow him. ‘Bumrah bhai ko bhagwan ne alag hi bana k bheja hai (He has been uniquely crafted by God), and I can’t learn everything from him. I also observe Siraj and learn from him. I pick up small things from various bowlers, but I don’t follow just one bowler too much,” said Akash Deep.

Charles Leclerc on Saturday set himself up to bid for another emotional Ferrari victory when he claimed his fourth consecutive pole position on the streets of Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Monegasque driver, who triumphed at Monaco in May and won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza two weeks ago, continued his supreme current form to beat McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by three-tenths of a second. Despite three previous poles in 2021, 2022 and 2023, Leclerc has yet to taste victory in Azerbaijan.

In a dramatic qualifying session with title-chasing Lando Norris, in the second McLaren, eliminated in Q1 in 17th place, Leclerc clocked a best lap of one minute and 43.365 on his final run to take his career 26th pole.

Series leader and three-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who leads Norris by 62 points, qualified only sixth.

“It’s amazing to be on pole,” said Leclerc.

‘The pace was there’

“The car felt really good and everything was great. It’s one of my favourite tracks. I really like it. It hasn’t been an easy weekend because of my crash in FP1.

“It didn’t make me lose confidence, as I knew that the pace was there, but you’ve got to be back up to speed.

“In Q3 and qualifying, it was all about trying to stay away from the walls and on the last lap I went for it a bit more – and the lap time came very nicely.”

His Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz was third in the second Ferrari ahead of Sergio Perez of Red Bull and Mercedes’ George Russell.

“Its the best we could hope for,” said Leclerc.

“The left side of the grid is a little bit less grippy, so first and third is where you want to start here and hopefully we can play a team game tomorrow to win.

“It’s going to be a long race. In the past, we have been very strong in qualifying and struggled a bit in the race, but this year we have a stronger race car — so I hope we can finally make it tomorrow.

“Tyre management will be a big thing so we’ve got to do a good job again. We did a good job in Monza, but we have to re-set every race we do so this is another race with other issues.”

Ferrari team-mate Carlos Sainz qualified third.

“We had a solid qualifying and we’re in a good position. I’ve never felt 100 per cent hooked up around here in my career and I tend to struggle on this track, but this is a good position. And my race pace seemed strong — so I think it is all to play for.”

Sergio Perez was a strong fourth for Red Bull on a track he enjoys, ahead of George Russell of Mercedes and Verstappen.

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton was seventh for Mercedes ahead of two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin and Argentine new boy Franco Colapinto who out-paced his more experienced Williams team-mate Alex Albon.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)