India has long been known for producing world-class batters, but Ravichandran Ashwin believes the country’s bowling strength has significantly improved in recent years. Without directly naming him, Ashwin praised one of his teammates as a generational talent.

“India has always been a batsman-dominated country, and that won’t change, but I’m so happy we are celebrating Jasprit Bumrah. He’s a once-in-a-generation bowler, and we should celebrate him even more,” Ashwin said on Vimal Kumar’s YouTube channel.

Ashwin, a proud Chennai native, highlighted how much the city appreciates bowlers, recalling an event where Bumrah received a “Rajni treatment,” a level of admiration usually reserved for stars like Rajnikanth. “We Chennai people appreciate bowlers. He was here as a chief guest a few days ago, and we gave him a Rajni treatment. He should be treated as a champion,” Ashwin added.

He also named Bumrah as the most valuable Indian cricketer currently, citing his Player of the Tournament award after India’s T20 World Cup win in June. “I don’t want to name names, but Jasprit Bumrah is the most valuable Indian cricketer right now,” Ashwin concluded.

After a six-month break, Ashwin is set to return to the Indian team for the first Test against Bangladesh, starting on September 19 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. India, sitting atop the World Test Championship table, will look to extend their lead with a strong performance.