Star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah suffered a back spasm during the fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test which was being played at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground. The bowler did go for scans in the middle of the match and could not even bowl a single over in the final innings of the game. India lost the series 3-1 but Bumrah was awarded with Player of the Series award following his once-in-a-lifetime kind of performance where he picked 32 wickets. However, now there is a big question remaining on the extent of Bumrah's injury, rehabilitation, and return.
Bumrah to consult his personal doctor as well
A source close to the development told Sports Tak that Bumrah will also be consulting his personal doctor who operated on him in New Zealand along with the BCCI medical team. The exact nature of the injury and his status will be revealed in a few days. Only doctors will have the final call on Bumrah's future and rehabilitation process.
"What he has to do and what suggestions he has to take this is all between BCCI doctors and his doctor who had operated on him in New Zealand, you will know in some days the exact nature of the injury and status....everything depends on him personally... He is in touch with doctors and he will be assessed further to know the exact injury and level, if he requires rest, he will be given there is no doubt about it but before that, we need to know his exact injury then only doctors will decide the next step call will be taken accordingly, as of now We can only hope and wish that he recovers soon," the source told Sports Tak.
Bumrah's history with back injury
Bumrah experienced a back spasm in 2022, which was comparable to what occurred in Australia. After weeks of rehabilitation, he returned, but a worsened back condition soon put him out of commission. He did not play competitive cricket for about a year until he came back.
After being first diagnosed with back spasms, Bumrah was excluded from the Asia Cup squad to train at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Following four weeks of rehabilitation, he was judged fit and added to India's 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup and their T20I team for the home series against South Africa and Australia.
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Rohit Sharma described his "niggle" as the reason he missed the first game against Australia but returned for the next two before missing the first game against South Africa. Following the toss, a BCCI statement said that Bumrah had suffered "back pain" during India's pre-match practice. Bumrah was forced to miss the remainder of the series and eventually the T20 World Cup in Australia after being sent to Bengaluru for further scans a day later.
Lower-back stress fracture in 2019
He was a force on the field, becoming only the third Indian, after Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan, to take a Test hat-trick. But by the end of that tour, his body was beginning to suffer from playing across formats. A routine fitness evaluation after returning from the Caribbean revealed a back problem. Consequently, Bumrah was pulled from the series as a precaution, and his first appearance in a home Test match against South Africa had to be cancelled. Afterwards, examinations in the UK showed a lower-back stress fracture that required treatment.
Before making a Test comeback, he was supposed to demonstrate his form and fitness for Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy, but he was dropped because the team management apparently decided not to put him through the four-day ordeal. After missing three months of activity, Bumrah returned on the early 2020 New Zealand tour.