Jasprit Bumrah’s workload issues during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 have turned into a bigger problem for India. He may miss the upcoming home series against England, and it’s looking doubtful that he will play in the early stages of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Bumrah had to leave the field on Day 2 of the Sydney Test while Australia was batting in their first innings. He didn’t bowl a single over in the second inning. Later, Prasidh Krishna confirmed that Bumrah was sidelined due to a back spasm, which kept him out for the rest of the fifth Test.
“A little frustrating (on injury) but sometimes you have to respect your body, and you can’t fight your body,” Bumrah had said during the post-match presentation in Sydney. “Sometimes, you have to accept. Would have loved to bowl on the spiciest wicket of the series. Just had a little discomfort after the first innings.”
According to a report, Bumrah could be facing a serious injury. If the injury is as serious as suggested, he might be out for anywhere between three weeks and three months.
The report also mentioned that if it’s a Grade 1 injury, Bumrah would be unavailable for at least three weeks, while a Grade 2 injury could keep him out for up to six weeks.
If the injury is worse than Grade 2, Bumrah could miss the entire Champions Trophy. He would then be out for at least three months and could be sent to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for full recovery and rehab.
After bowling 151 overs in five Tests under the tough Australian conditions, Bumrah will likely miss the T20 portion of England’s tour of India. The tour will kick off with the first T20I in a five-match series.
The Indian young sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal is likely to be included in the squad for both the England ODIs and the Champions Trophy as a backup opener. Rohit Sharma, who will lead the team, and Shubman Gill are expected to open the batting.
Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer will bat at No. 3 and No. 4 respectively. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are fighting for the wicketkeeper spot, while Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav are set to be the main spinners. Washington Sundar is also expected to be part of the team. All-rounder Hardik Pandya will also join the Indian team for upcoming whiteball matches.
The Champions Trophy will start on February 19, with Pakistan facing New Zealand in Karachi, while India’s first match will be against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai.
Read more: Virat Kohli Called Out For His Antics in the BGT By Sunil Gavaskar
Jasir Basharat is a cricket enthusiast capturing the heart of the game through insightful analysis and storytelling sharing his passion for the sport through engaging narratives. He is a business graduate from University of Kashmir.
