In a huge blow for Team India, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah on Tuesday (September 24) got ruled out of the South Africa Test series due to a minor stress fracture in his lower back. And now report claims that Bumrah will miss the Bangladesh series at home as well.
Speaking to IANS, sources in the team management said that the Bangladesh series is not in the radar as skipper Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri want Bumrah to regain full fitness bearing in mind the next year’s T20 World Cup.
The team management is now targeting a West Indies series return for the ace speedster. West Indies will tour India for three T20Is and as many ODIs in December this year.
“You can say that the team is looking at a return for the West Indies limited-overs series. The team management is very clear that they want no shortcuts and undergoing a proper rehab and returning fully fit is vital. The Bangladesh series would be too early,” the source revealed.
It means Bumrah won’t play any role in India’s World Test Championship campaign this year. After the three Tests against South Africa, India will host Bangladesh for three T20Is and two Tests from November 3 to November 26.
Asked if there could be further delay to Bumrah’s return, the source said it was unlikely with Nitin Patel being the physiotherapist of the side.
“If there is one person that the Indian players swear by, it is Nitin. And with him observing Bumrah’s recovery, he might on the contrary be ready for action before time.”
Considering the amount of cricket Team Indian play, skipper Kohli has time and again stressed on the importance of workload management for the fast bowlers.
“That’s probably the most important thing for us right now, managing workload of players. That’s why he (Bumrah) didn’t play any white-ball cricket after the World Cup because we wanted him to be fresh for the Tests. He is going to be a key factor for us as long as the Test championship continues. We know how good a bowler he is. And the impact he can make in a spell,” Kohli had said during the West Indies series last month.
(With IANS inputs)
