Alarm bells rang on Thursday (September 29) for the Indian fans as India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was reportedly all but out of the T20 World Cup next month in Australia. Bumrah’s back stress fracture injury continues to give him grief and is expected to inactivate the juggernaut pacer for a period of five to six months.
Meanwhile, BCCI has cleared the air on Bumrah's availability for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
A source privy to the development told Sports Tak," BCCI team management wants to wait and watch the case of Bumrah as the board (BCCI) wants Bumrah in the T20 World Cup and has asked the medical team to assess him thoroughly in NCA and do whatever best is possible. BCCI banking on even a one per cent chance of Bumrah playing the marquee tournament."
“The medical team is conducting repeated tests and scans but for the moment Bumrah will not be travelling with the team on October 5 for Australia, may be he will fly later. BCCI is very keen to have Bumrah in Australia and hence medical team will be trying till the last minute. And that's why BCCI is not in hurry to announce replacement it may happen later. All reports will to be shared with selection committee and management will then take the final call,” the source added.
Bumrah didn't travel to Trivandrum for the first T20I match between India and South Africa which the former won by eight wickets on Wednesday (September 28). However Mohammed Siraj has been called as his replacement for the remainder of the three-match T20 series against Proteas.
BCCI had informed of Bumrah's injury just minutes before the toss took place at the Greenfield Stadium. "Jasprit Bumrah complained of back pain in during India's practice session on Tuesday. The BCCI Medical Team assessed him. He is ruled out of the first T20I," BCCI had tweeted.
Bumrah had earlier missed the entire Asia Cup 2022 due to a back injury. He spent around a month at National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru to recover, post which he was selected for the T20Is versus Australia. He missed the first T20I at Mohali but played the remaining two matches as India went on to win the series 2-1.
Many senior players have been given adequate rest, keeping in mind their workload.
What is more interesting is the fact that Bumrah has played only five Tests, five ODIs and as many T20Is in 2022 apart from IPL games for Mumbai Indians.
Back stress fractures do not require surgery but a lot of time to heal.
Bumrah, who has a slinging action, puts a lot of pressure on his back during loading. Former West Indies pace bowling great Michael Holding had assessed that Bumrah was always a candidate for back injuries.
Earlier, India's star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out of the T20 World Cup 2022 due to a 'freak injury'. Jadeja suffered the injury midway through the Asia Cup 2022 in UAE.
Jadeja was asked to undergo some water-based training activity in the 'backwater' facility of Team India's hotel in Dubai. The spin-bowling all-rounder incurred the injury while doing the training.
India's death bowling has been an issue and captain Rohit Sharma himself has pointed it out. Veteran paceman Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been under the pump due to his poor performances and the pressure to deliver will be on the shoulders of the young Arshdeep Singh and Harshal Patel in Bumrah's absence.
