Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who suffered from back spasms, is expected to be rested almost throughout India’s upcoming home white-ball series against England, all in view of the much-anticipated ICC Champions Trophy from February 19. Bumrah, who has been Indian’s outstanding player with the 32 scalps put by him out of 1-3 thrashing of India at the hands of Australia in the just-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, could not bowl in the last innings of the series here after suffering from back spasms. The 30-year-old Bumrah bowled more than 150 overs during the series.
The injury emanates directly from the excessive load put on him during the Test series, and the BCCI medical team will endeavour to keep the new Test captain match-fit for the ICC showpiece in which his presence is absolutely essential for India’s fortunes.
The grade of Bumrah’s back pain is still to be confirmed, as per knowledgeable insiders.
India will start their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai.
If the injury is of grade 1 type then it would take a minimum of two to three weeks of rehabilitation before Return to Play (RTP).
For grade 2 injury, recovery can take up to six weeks while grade 3, the most severe, would need a minimum of three months before resting and embarking on rehabilitation programmes.
It was always in the cards that Bumrah would not play T20I bilateral series as this was not the World Cup year; however, there were Champions Trophy tournaments around the corner, so he would have certainly played two if not three ODIs against England because it is the 50-over format.
Bumrah’s availability for the England series will depend on the severity of his injury right now, or at least for the last game at home at Ahmedabad on February 12 to check fitness.
India is to take on England in five T20Is and three ODIs starting January 22.
