India's strike bowler Jasprit Bumrah is likely to miss the group stage of the upcoming Champions Trophy due to a back injury. Bumrah, who is experiencing swelling in his back, has been advised to undergo rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. His progress will be closely monitored there, with full recovery expected by early March.
The Champions Trophy, featuring the world’s top eight ODI teams, begins on February 19, with India’s group stage matches scheduled in Dubai as the team has opted out of traveling to Pakistan for security reasons. India faces Bangladesh on February 20, Pakistan on February 23, and New Zealand on March 2. The semi-finals and final will follow on March 4-9.
Bumrah, a pivotal player for India, sustained the injury during the recent Test series in Australia, where he took 32 wickets and was named Player of the Series despite missing the final day due to his condition. This setback is not new for Bumrah, who missed 11 months of cricket from late 2022 to mid-2023 following back surgery.
The BCCI has sought an extension for submitting the squad to the ICC, allowing selectors to decide closer to the tournament. While there’s a possibility of including Bumrah in the reserves, his fitness remains uncertain. Bumrah’s match readiness will be assessed through practice games after his rehabilitation at the NCA.
