In what is terrible news for the Indian cricket team ahead of the Brisbane Test, pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out due to an abdominal strain, BCCI sources have told the Press Trust of India.
The report adds that Bumrah’s scan reports showed a strain and the Indian team management does not want him to aggravate the injury, keeping in mind the upcoming four-Test series against England.
“Jasprit Bumrah suffered an abdominal strain while fielding in Sydney. He is going to sit out of the Brisbane Test but is expected to be available against England,” a BCCI source told PTI.
Bumrah has taken 11 wickets at an average of 29.36 in the three Tests so far.
The pacer was seen to be informing the physio of the injury during the Sydney Test and even went off the field for treatment.
He bowled 25 overs in all, in a total of 87 overs that India sent down before Australia declared.
Bumrah has had the most workload among fast bowlers among both sides, bowling 117.4 overs across the six innings so far in the Tests. Overall, on the Australia tour, he has bowled 169.1 overs (including 22 in the warm-up fixture and 29.3 in ODIs). This follows 60 overs he bowled in the Indian Premier League (IPL) before coming to Australia. The right-arm pace bowler had suffered a lower back injury late last year. He did not play an international after August, 2019 and made his international return only in January 2020.
The BCCI has not yet sent out an official press release.
Hours after the Sydney Test however, the BCCI confirmed that all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been ruled out too due to a dislocated thumb.
Earlier on the tour, India were dealt body blows with injuries to Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami, with Ishant Sharma already ruled out of the tour with an injury from the IPL.
If Bumrah cannot recover in time for the Brisbane Test, India’s pace attack will wear a very depleted look with Mohammed Siraj, the spearhead, along side Navdeep Saini. One of Shardul Thakur or T Natarajan is likely to get the nod as the third pacer. India’ also have another pacer in reserve in the young Kartik Tyagi, who has been used as a net bowler apart from the first warm-up game which he played.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)