India's premier fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has officially kickstarted his preparations for a highly anticipated return to international cricket. The pace spearhead took to Instagram to share clips of himself training with the red ball, marking the beginning of his buildup for a demanding and crucial second half of the cricket season.
Jasprit Bumrah finally hits the nets
Fans won't have to wait long to see him back in action; Bumrah is scheduled to return for India's three-match ODI series against England starting July 14, before shifting his focus to a two-match Test series in Sri Lanka this August.
The seasoned bowler is returning from a planned hiatus, having been rested for the T20I series against both Ireland and England as part of the team's strict workload management policy. Additionally, he was omitted from the squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan, a match that sat outside the ICC World Test Championship cycle. Moving forward, however, he will be heavily involved, having secured spots in both the upcoming ODI squad for England and the roster for the Asian Games later this year.
Bumrah looking to bounce back after tough IPL campaign
The upcoming international assignments offer Bumrah a prime opportunity to find his groove after a rare slump in form. The 2026 Indian Premier League season was uncharacteristically brutal for the right-arm quick. Leading the attack for the Mumbai Indians, he endured the statistically worst campaign of his career, picking up a mere four wickets across 13 matches.
Bumrah's usually lethal bowling yielded a steep average of 102.50 and an economy rate of 8.36, with his best outing being a modest 1/15. Despite these unusual struggles, the veteran remains one of the world's most elite pacemen and will be highly motivated to quickly rediscover his trademark rhythm while wearing India colors.
Long-awaited ODI return for India’s pace ace
The upcoming One-Day International series against England will see Jasprit Bumrah make his highly anticipated return to the 50-over format. He has not featured in an ODI since the heartbreaking World Cup final against Australia on November 19, 2023. This comeback brings an end to a massive 968-day absence from 50-over cricket for the speedster—a prolonged gap primarily orchestrated by India's medical and management teams to carefully monitor his workload across all formats.
Despite keeping away from the ODI arena, Bumrah's impact on the international stage remained as lethal as ever. He was the driving force behind India’s recent ICC T20 World Cup glory, finishing the tournament as the joint-highest wicket-taker. The premier quick dismantled opposition batting lineups to collect 14 wickets in eight innings, maintaining a spectacular average of 12.42 and a stingy economy rate of 6.21. His crowning moment came in the final against New Zealand, where a masterclass spell of 4/15 earned him the Player of the Match award and reinforced his status as India's ultimate weapon.
Immediately following the conclusion of the white-ball matches against England, Bumrah will transition to the longest format as India kicks off another pivotal phase of their World Test Championship (WTC) campaign.
India is scheduled to play a two-match Test series in Sri Lanka from August 15 to 27. The tour will commence at the Galle International Stadium before moving to Colombo for the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground. With critical WTC points on the line, having a fully firing and rhythm-bound Bumrah will be absolutely vital to India's aspirations of dominating the new championship cycle.