Jasprit Bumrah’s India return delayed until next year

Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian speedster, was having a great time in 2019 until in September when he developed a stress fracture on his lower back. The injury ruled him out of the three-match Test series versus South Africa. The 25-year-old speedster will remain unavailable for the upcoming T20I and Test series versus Bangladesh, starting in the first week of November.

For the time being, Bumrah is undergoing a rehabilitation process, including visits to the National Cricket Academy (NCA). He is being monitored by the medical team of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He was earlier expected to be fit for the Bangladesh series, but the team management doesn’t quite want to play him until he attains adequate fitness.

The idea is to make it smooth for Bumrah

“His rehabi­li­tation is going along expected lines. Stress fractures are complicated to deal with, but since it was spotted on time and Bu­mrah got adequate rest, th­ere is nothing serious. The Ba­ng­l­a­d­e­sh Tests are still a month away and he will be fit by then,” sources privy to the development was quoted as saying in The News Indian Express.

The management understands the importance of Bumrah being on song when he eventually takes the field after the layoff. “But there are important assignments next year. The idea is to make it smooth for Bumrah. When he is back, he should be at his absolute best,” the source added.

As per reports, Bumrah will also miss the home series versus the West Indies and Sri Lanka. However, he is expected to be back for the three-match ODI series against Australia, scheduled to get underway on January 14. In the same month, India will tour New Zealand for a full-fledged tour.

It will start with five T20Is followed by three ODIs. There’s also a two-match Test series from February 21 and it goes without saying that Bumrah’s services will be required. The T20 World Cup in Australia will be played in October next year and Jasprit’s role will be an important one.

In the meantime, his brief absence also gives the team management to try out other pacers. Umesh Yadav was his replacement for the ongoing South Africa Tests and he has done reasonably well. There’s also the likes of Navdeep Saini and Deepak Chahar, both of whom are coming up the ranks.

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