Star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah is expected to miss India’s group-stage matches in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 because of swelling in his back, according to a report. The Indian bowler has reportedly been told to go to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, where his recovery will be watched closely.
Bumrah’s back injury was noticed in the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The pacer had captained India in Sydney and also led the bowling attack in the first innings, but didn’t bowl in the second innings. Pictures of Bumrah getting into a car and heading to a nearby hospital for some tests were shown widely during the match.
Jasprit Bumrah has left the SCG: https://t.co/0nmjl6Qp2a pic.twitter.com/oQaygWRMyc
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 4, 2025
“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 organized to check his match fitness,” a BCCI source quoted.
The BCCI selection committee, which met in Mumbai on Saturday to choose the national team for the T20 series in England, was updated on Bumrah’s fitness. The Indian selectors are now deciding whether to include him in the 15-player squad for the Champions Trophy or list him as a reserve player for the tournament.
Bumrah bowled 151 overs across five Tests in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. Despite challenging Australian conditions, the right-arm pacer led India’s bowling attack throughout the series. He picked up 32 wickets in this BGT.
Skipper Rohit Sharma will miss the luxury of Bumrah in the mega event, This will be a big blow for the Men in Blue, as the ace pacer was in great form and had taken several wickets in recent matches.
The 8-team Champions Trophy is set to start on February 19. The semi-finals will take place on March 4 and 5. The tournament will take place in the hybrid model, with India’s matches taking place in Dubai and the rest in Pakistan. India, in Group A, will face Bangladesh on February 20, Pakistan on February 23, and New Zealand on March 2. Group B includes Australia, England, Afghanistan, and South Africa.
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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.
