Jasprit Bumrah's absence from Champions Trophy squad will reduce India's chances: Ravi Shastri
"Bumrah not fit will reduce India’s chances (of winning the Champions Trophy) by 30%, literally by 30-35%," Shastri said.
The availability of Jasprit Bumrah has become a concern for the Indian team and there is no clear answer to whether he will be featuring in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 or not. Bumrah has been one of the top pacers for India in the last two seasons, and there is no doubt that the team will want him to be a hundred percent fit for the show-piece event.
It all started when Bumrah suffered a back injury during the Sydney Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. There are plenty of experts who have spoken on the availability and chances of Bumrah playing in the tournament. Former India head coach Ravi Shastri also shared his views and gave a statement saying that the 31-year-old's absence would reduce the chances of India winning the coveted eight-team tournament.
“Bumrah not fit will reduce India’s chances (of winning the Champions Trophy) by 30%, literally by 30-35%. With a fully fit Bumrah playing, you are guaranteed of those death overs. It would’ve been a different ball game altogether,” Shastri said on the ICC Review.
Shastri also mentioned the big schedule the team has after the Champions Trophy and said that the T20 World Cup 2024 player of the series should not be rushed into things straight away since he is one of the key players for the team.
“I think it’s high risk. There’s too much big cricket coming up for India. And at this stage of his career, I think he’s too precious to be just called on for one game out of the blue and asked to deliver. The expectations will be so much. They’ll think that he’ll come in straight away and set the world on fire. It’s never that easy when you come back from injury,” Shastri added.
Also Read: Vernon Philander on how India can manage Jasprit Bumrah's workload
Speaking of Bumrah’s status, right now, he is currently under rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, and will not be featuring in the three-match ODI series against England. If fit, Bumrah will be thrown directly into Champions Trophy, which may prove to be concerning since the pacer will enter the tournament without any match practice.
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