India captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday said that the Indian team is still waiting for clarity on Jasprit Bumrah’s injury and his availability for the upcoming Champions Trophy in Dubai. Bumrah had suffered a back injury in the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia. Though he was included in the ODI squad for the England series, with the provision that he will be available for the third match of the series in Ahmedabad, he was quietly removed from the updated squad that the BCCI sent after the inclusion of spinner Varun Chakravarthy.
On Wednesday, Rohit clarified that Bumrah has to undergo some scans in the next couple of days, the results of which will clarify about his availability for the third ODI and the subsequent Champions Trophy.
“We are awaiting some scan reports and once we get them, we will have more clarity on Bumrah and whether he will be available for the third ODI against England,” Rohit said at the pre-match press conference ahead of the first ODI against England at Nagpur.
Though Bumrah’s injury was initially expected to be a minor setback, it has turned out to be more serious than anticipated, and as a result, the pace spearhead has been sent for treatment to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. Bumrah is currently undergoing treatment there.
Former skipper Ravi Shastri reckons that Jasprit Bumrah’s potential absence could severely weaken the Indian team in the Champions Trophy but advised against rushing the premier fast bowler’s return to the national side.
Bumrah suffered back spasms in the fifth Test against Australia at Sydney in January, and did not bowl in the second innings. He hasn’t bowled for India since then, though he has been included in the initial squad for the prestigious ODI tournament.
Bumrah is undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA and is not in the ODI squad for the three-match series against England beginning Thursday.
The sports science experts are expected to provide an update on his fitness to the BCCI after which a call would be taken on the Champions Trophy, which will be held in Pakistan and UAE.
The opening game is scheduled in Karachi on February 19 while India will play all their games in Dubai.
“Bumrah not fit will reduce India’s chances (of winning the Champions Trophy) by 30%, literally by 30-35%,” Shastri said in the latest edition of ICC Review.
“With a fully fit Bumrah playing, you are guaranteed of those death overs. It would’ve been a different ball game altogether,” opined Shastri.
With PTI inputs
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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