'They'll think that he'll come in and set world on fire...': Ravi Shastri passes massive verdict on Jasprit Bumrah's comeback ahead of Champions Trophy 2025

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri reckons that rushing ace speedster Jasprit Bumrah is too risky as there's too much big cricket coming for the Men in Blue. Bumrah got injured during the fifth Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia.

After the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the speedster was included in Rohit Sharma-led India's ODI squad against England scheduled to start from February 6, with the provision that he will be available for the third match of the series in Ahmedabad.

Shastri reckons that at this stage of Bumrah's career, he is too precious to be just called on for one game out of the blue and asked to deliver.

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“I think it's high risk. There's too much big cricket coming up for India,” he told Sanjana Ganesan on The ICC Review.

“And at this stage of his [Bumrah’s] career, I think he's too precious to be just called on for one game out of the blue and asked to deliver.

“The expectations will be so much. They'll think that he'll come in straight away and set the world on fire. It's never that easy when you come back from injury.”

“Bumrah not fit will reduce India's chances [of winning the Champions Trophy] by 30%, literally by 30-35%,” Shastri said.

“With a fully fit Bumrah playing, you are guaranteed of those death overs. It would’ve been a different ball game altogether.”

Bumrah was the highest wicket-taker in Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, picking 32 wickets at 13.06 and a wicket every 28.3 balls which happens to be the most by an Indian bowler in an away series and the joint most by an Indian seamer ever.

India captain Rohit Sharma also clarified that Bumrah has to undergo some scans in the next couple of days and the results will decide his availability for the third ODI and the subsequent Champions Trophy.

Champions Trophy 2025 is scheduled to start from February 19 and India will start their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 against Bangladesh. The mega event hosted by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will take place in a hybrid model where one of the semifinal matches featuring India will be played in Dubai and the rest of the tournament will take place in Pakistan. The venue for the final also depends on India's performance, if the Rohit-led side qualifies for the title decider it will take place in Dubai otherwise Pakistan's Lahore will host the summit clash.