Team India have copped a body blow ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022 as ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah has suffered a stress fracture on his back, which will keep him out of action for a considerable amount of time.
According to a PTI report, Bumrah has been ruled out of the upcoming marquee event in Australia as he will need at least 4-6 months to recover from the recurring back injury.
While the BCCI is yet to release a statement on Bumrah’s injury, the speedster has been replaced by Mohammed Siraj for the remainder of the ongoing T20I series against South Africa.
Meanwhile, former India selector Saba Karim has acknowledged that Bumrah's absence will be a "massive blow" for the team but he feels that the management and captain Rohit Sharma had been preparing for this situation, given that Mohammad Shami and Deepak Chahar were included in the standby list for the T20 World Cup.
"Yes, he's such a unique bowler. In the T20 format, you need someone who can bowl with the new ball and pick wickets and then can come back to finish his spell in the death overs. He's extremely effective and plus his match awareness, he's kind of part of the leadership group for the national side now. So yes, I think without him this will be a massive blow for India," Karim told Sports18.
"But you know one can sense that the Indian team management and the Indian captain were kind of preparing for this. That's why they thought of bringing in Mohammad Shami and they also have Deepak Chahar on stand-by," he added.
"So, I think it's good in a way that India played all these bilateral engagements without Jasprit Bumrah in the line-up," he further stated.
According to Saba Karim, Mohammad Shami is an apt choice to replace Bumrah in the T20 World Cup squad.
"I'll go ahead with Mohammad Shami because he will find form although he hasn't played but he's that kind of bowler who once given an opportunity he can always step up and do the job for India," Karim said.
"Plus, with this kind of experience, you need somebody at the top who can pick you wickets and you've seen Mohammad Shami in the last Indian T20 league, he's such a bowler who can pick wickets with the new ball in the power play and India needs that. So, if Mohammad Shami can pick up early wickets with the new ball, that's the kind of start India would need while defending the target or while trying to restrict the opposition from setting a huge target," he remarked.
India will begin their T20 World Cup 2022 campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on October 23.
