New Delhi: India’s star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been told to report to the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for monitoring of his back injury and is expected to be unfit for the group stage matches of the Champions Trophy that begins on February 19.
Bumrah picked up the injury during India’s fifth Test defeat to Australia in Sydney in their 1-3 Border-Gavaskar series loss.
The right-arm pacer has swelling on his back that prevented him from bowling in Australia’s second innings and is expected to return to full fitness by the first week of March.
“He (Bumrah) will be going to NCA for his rehabilitation. The initial report says he doesn’t have a fracture but has swelling on his back. So the NCA will monitor his recovery and he will be there for three weeks. But even after that, he will have to play a match or two, even if they are practice games organised to check his match fitness,” a BCCI source told the Indian Express.
The selectors of the Board of Control for Cricket in India has been informed of Bumrah’s status when they met in in Mumbai on Saturday to pick the team for England T20I series at home that begins later this month.
It has forced the BCCI to seek an extension to the Sunday deadline for announcement of squads for the Champions Trophy, matches of which India will play in Dubai.
Dilemma
The BCCI is yet to decide on whether to include Bumrah in India’s 15-member squad or name him in the list of reserve players for the tournament.
As changes to team could be made till February 12, the BCCI would initially submit a provisional squad to the International Cricket Council, giving time to access Bumrah’s fitness closer to the tournament.
India begin their CT campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, followed by the high-voltage clash against Pakistan on February 23 with their last group match scheduled for March 2 against New Zealand.
All of India’s matches will be held in Dubai after their refusal to travel to Pakistan over security concerns.
Bumrah was adjudged the player of the BGT series with 32 wickets from 151.2 overs in five Tests, averaging 13.06, striking at a rate of 28.3. He also led the team to a win in the first Test at Perth and a loss in the fifth game at Sydney.
Bumrah has a long standing back injury concerns, having missed a year of action with a surgert before the T20 World Cup in June.
Jasprit Bumrah has swelling on his back and is only expected to return to full fitness by the first week of March. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
