The recent Test series loss in Australia was not the only concern for Team India. During the fifth and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, their pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah had to leave the field for scans after bowling only one over in the second session on day two.
He did not take the field for the remainder of the game including in the second innings when India desperately needed their stand-in captain while defending 162 runs. Later, his teammate Prasidh Krishna confirmed that he had experienced back spasms and thus decided to go for scans as a precautionary measure.
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The Indian team management is now sweating over Jasprit Bumrah’s fitness ahead of next month’s ICC Champions Trophy. The marquee event is scheduled to begin on February 19 and the pacer is in a race against time to be fully fit.
A recent report in the Times of India stated that cricketers who have suffered similar injuries believe that “if it is a back spasm as the team management said”, Jasprit Bumrah should be fit in time for the competition. However, the India superstar could be out for months if the injury turns out to be a Grade 1 stress fracture.
“It does depend on the final diagnosis of the injury. Back spasm is normally an orange light, it tells you that something worse could be in store and you need to stop at that point… Having suffered a lower back stress fracture earlier, Bumrah must have read the signs at the right time and decided to stop in Sydney,” a former India Test bowler who had to deal with a similar injury, told Times Of India.
“Most likely, this time he felt a tightness in the upper back. The reports have gone to his surgeon, we should have the final results very soon. My hunch is he will be part of the first squad that will be announced for CT. After all, you can have an injury replacement later,” he added.
A series to remember for Jasprit Bumrah:
While Team India ended up losing the five-match Test series 1-3, Jasprit Bumrah had a series to remember with the ball. Even though Australia bagged the series, Jasprit Bumrah was adjudged the Player of the Series for his stunning display.
The right-arm pacer picked up a staggering 32 wickets at a phenomenal average of 13.06 and a strike-rate of 28.3. No other pacer from either team could take more than 25 wickets in the series. Bumrah now holds the record for taking the most wickets by an Indian bowler in an away Test series.
He also made a big impact as a captain. In the first Test when Rohit Sharma was not available, Bumrah led Team India to a famous 295-run victory in Perth.
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Meanwhile, Team India will be starting their campaign in the Champions Trophy on February 20. They are in Group A alongside Pakistan, Bangladesh, and New Zealand. Australia, England, South Africa and Afghanistan are in Group B.