The drama regarding Jasprit Bumrah’s injury, fitness, and comeback continues to drag on with the BCCI and their selectors copping flak from the fans after the fast bowler was ruled out of the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka, starting January 10.
Bumrah was initially not part of India’s original squad announced on December 27, but was included for the three-ODI series on January 3, and now has been pulled out again.
Bumrah had been declared fit by the NCA and hence was named in the squad initially
His addition to the ODI squad came after he had amped up his training and bowling routines in the last week of 2022. However, now he’s been pulled out for “precautionary measure”.
“Team India pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the upcoming 3-match ODI series against Sri Lanka. Bumrah, who was set to join the team in Guwahati ahead of the ODI series, will need some more time to build bowling resilience. This decision has been taken as a precautionary measure,” the BCCI said in their statement on Monday.
There is more to it.
Bumrah has been out of action for a long time now due to his back injury. He missed the Asia Cup, T20 World Cup, and the Test series in Bangladesh. He has been rehabilitating at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy in Banglaore.
He made a comeback in 2 T20Is against Australia in September, but his back injury resurfaced and he missed the flight to Australia.
The BCCI sources told Cricbuzz that this call has been taken not to rush him into action so soon, like they did in that Australia series and he got injured again.
“He will not be playing the ODIs with recommendation particularly coming from the NCA staff, the decision having been taken with the important assignments like Test series against Australia and World Cup later in the year taken into consideration,” Cricbuzz said in a report.
“Sources have said he might feature in the series against New Zealand against whom India will play three ODIs and as many T20I in that order from January 18.”
While Bumrah won’t make his comeback, skipper Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer, who were not part of the T20I series, will return in the ODIs.
India’s updated squad for Sri Lanka ODIs: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (VC), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh.
