India's fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is not a part of the squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to a lower back injury he sustained during Sydney Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. In a recent promotional event, Bumrah was asked what he said to young Australian opener Sam Konstas when he tried to come between him and Usman Khawaja towards the end of the day's play. Bumrah had a hilarious reply as he said that he was asking Konstas whether everything is okay at home.
"Pata nahi isme to aapko kuch aur lag raha hoga, main to usse puch raha tha ki 'sab theek hai? Mummy theek hai, ghar par sab theek hai? Usne bola 'haan theek hai' to maine bola 'Acha theek hai ab ball daal deta hoon'. Aap logo ne kuch aur interpret kar liya hoga. I think udhar words nahi the to maybe miscommunication ho gaya hoga. ('I don't know if you will be feeling something else, I mainly asked him, 'Is everything okay?' Is your mother fine, is everything at home fine?' He said 'Yes, it's fine?' to which I said 'Now, I will bowl'. You guys must have interpreted it some thing else. I think the lack of words may have caused some miscommunication.)" Bumrah said at a promotional event where former Indian opener Navjot Singh Sidhu asked him the question.
"Incidents like these happen when the game is close. We were wasting some time, they were trying to do it as well. We were trying to put some pressure. But, that's not the best example. I am not angry all the time but sometimes, it happens," he added.
Bumrah replied to Konstas by taking the wicket of Khawaja off the next ball. He turned to Konstas and did not say a word while his teammates surrounded him to celebrate the wicket.
On the following day, Bumrah suffered a lower back injury which ruled him out for the remainder of the Test. India lost the Test by six wickets and failed to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Bumrah who captained India in first and last Test of the series was named 'Player of the series' as he was the highest wicket-taker.
Bumrah gets several ICC awards in Dubai
Bumrah was in Dubai for India's clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on February 23. He was named ICC Men's Cricketer Of The Year, ICC Men's Test Player Of The Year and was inducted in the ICC Men's Test Team Of The Year and ICC T20I Team Of The Year.
“It feels really good,” Bumrah said after receiving his ICC Awards.
“As a child, I'd seen some of my childhood heroes win this (Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy) award. Always a privilege when you get such an honour.”
When will Bumrah return to action?
Bumrah is expected to be back in action in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Mumbai Indians (MI) will play Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their tournament opener at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on March 23.