India’s strike bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, is likely to miss the group stage of next month’s Champions Trophy due to health concerns. Bumrah, who has been diagnosed with swelling on his back, has been advised to report to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for further monitoring and rehabilitation.
The Champions Trophy, featuring the world’s top eight ODI teams, is scheduled to begin on February 19. Matches will take place in Karachi, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Dubai, with India playing their games in Dubai. Bumrah’s absence is a significant setback for India, as he plays a key role in the team’s bowling attack.
The national selectors, who convened in Mumbai on Saturday to finalise the squad for the upcoming T20 series against England, were briefed about Bumrah’s current fitness status. Although the deadline for announcing the Champions Trophy squad is Sunday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has requested an extension.
Selectors are deliberating on whether to include Bumrah in the 15-member squad or list him among the reserve players for the tournament. The BCCI plans to submit a provisional squad to the International Cricket Council, with the option of making changes up until February 12. This timeline allows the selectors to monitor Bumrah’s progress as the tournament draws closer.
According to media reports, Bumrah is expected to regain full fitness only by the first week of March. “He (Bumrah) will be going to NCA for his rehabilitation. The initial report indicates that he doesn’t have a fracture but has swelling on his back. The NCA will monitor his recovery over the next three weeks. Even after that, he will need to play a match or two, possibly practice games, to assess his match fitness,” read the reports.
India’s last group match in the Champions Trophy is against New Zealand on March 2, leaving uncertainty over Bumrah’s readiness to play. Before this, India is set to face Bangladesh on February 20 and Pakistan on February 23. India will play all their group-stage matches in Dubai, following their refusal to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns, with the ICC approving a hybrid model for the tournament. The semi-finals are scheduled for March 4 and 5, with the final taking place on March 9.
A Familiar Pain
Bumrah’s back issues are not new. He missed nearly 11 months of cricket between September 2022 and August 2023 after undergoing surgery. He made his return to the field in a T20 match against Ireland.
During India’s recent Test series in Australia, Bumrah was a standout performer, taking 32 wickets and winning the Player of the Series award. However, he was absent on the final day of the series in Sydney due to his injury. Australia won the series and claimed the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The Indian team management has been cautious with Bumrah’s workload to prevent further injury. He was rested for the fourth Test against England in Ranchi at the start of 2023 and was also given a break during the third and final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai to ensure he remained fresh for the Test series in Australia.
In Australia, Bumrah bowled 151.2 overs across five Test matches, maintaining an impressive average of 13.06 and a strike rate of 28.3. He also stepped in as stand-in captain for the first Test in Perth when Rohit Sharma was unavailable. Bumrah captained the side again for the final Test in Sydney when Rohit opted to sit out.
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