Jasprit Bumrah's return to cricket could be further delayed as his back injury appears to be more serious than expected. India's pace spearhead is unlikely to play for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. He could also be doubtful for World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-2023 final if India manages to qualify for the marquee showdown.
Marred by a string of injuries, Bumrah has been out of action for five months now as he last featured for India in the T20I series against Australia in September last year. Bumrah has not been feeling comfortable as his hiatus is expected to get stretched going to the seriousness of his injury. Bumrah had missed all the big events right from Asia Cup 2022 and T20 World Cup 2022.
With Asia Cup and ODI World Cup 2023 lined up later this year, the Indian team management will look to give him a full stretch of time to recover well.
Bumrah was also not named in India's ODI squad for the Australia series as the National Cricket Academy authorities in Bengaluru didn't clear him to fit to play the contest. But going by the reports it has been learnt that NCA is not going to rush him into action in a hurry.
Earlier, Bumrah had cleared a match simulation test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru but was under discomfort on the second day of building up to higher workloads in Mumbai. If everything goes right in his rehabilitation, Bumrah can be in contention for the second half of the Test series against Australia.
Bumrah's absence for the upcoming two matches was confirmed prior to the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and his missing the ODI series was confirmed when the squad for the white-ball series came out. He will hope to make it back in time for the 50-over matches after the WTC final, keeping the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup in India in mind.
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