Jasprit Bumrah’s absence could significantly weaken the Indian team in the Champions Trophy, according to former India coach Ravi Shastri. However, he has also advised against rushing Bumrah’s return to the national team.
Bumrah suffered a back strain during the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney this January and did not bowl in the second innings. Since then, he has not bowled for India, although he has been included in the preliminary squad for the prestigious ODI tournament, the Champions Trophy.
Currently, Bumrah is undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and has not been named in the Indian squad for the three-match ODI series against England, starting Thursday. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is awaiting updates from sports science experts regarding his fitness before making a final decision on his participation in the Champions Trophy, which will be held in Pakistan and the UAE.
The tournament’s first match is scheduled for February 19 in Karachi, while India will play all their matches in Dubai. Speaking to the International Cricket Council (ICC) Review, Shastri stated, “If Bumrah is not fit, India’s chances of winning the Champions Trophy will drop by 30 to 35 percent.”
“A fully fit Bumrah guarantees strong death bowling”
Shastri further added, “A fully fit Bumrah guarantees strong bowling in the death overs.”
Bumrah had an outstanding 2023 and was honored with the ICC Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for Men’s Cricketer of the Year as well as the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year. He played a crucial role in India’s victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
During the five-match Border-Gavaskar series in Australia, Bumrah was the highest wicket-taker across both teams, claiming 32 wickets.
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“Rushing Bumrah’s return could be risky”
Shastri warned against bringing Bumrah back too soon, saying, “I think rushing his return would be very risky. India has a lot of cricket ahead, and at this stage of his career, he is extremely important. He should not be called back just for a single match.”
He continued, “Expectations will be high. People will assume he will deliver right away, but coming back from injury is never easy.”
Ponting believes Bumrah’s absence puts focus on Shami
Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting noted that Bumrah’s absence could put more attention on Mohammed Shami, who has returned to the Indian squad after 14 months of injury and rehabilitation.
Ponting also speculated that Bumrah’s injury in Australia might have been caused due to a lack of support from the other end, as Shami was not available.
Speaking on the ICC Review, Ponting said, “My biggest concern during the Test series was that Bumrah didn’t have Shami as his backup, so he had to shoulder most of the bowling workload.”
He added, “That might have contributed to his injury. Since Shami was absent, Bumrah may have had to bowl more overs than usual. If Shami is fit now, that’s a good sign for India.”
