In a development that came across as a huge blow for Indian cricket, it was revealed that ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been left out of India’s Champions Trophy 2025 due to a lower back injury. The star player sustained the injury while bowling in the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Sydney.
It is worth noting that Bumrah had undergone back surgery in 2022 as well, and with his consistent problems with injury, the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) made the decision to not include him in the side’s squad for the Champions Trophy 2025.
According to a recent report, it was revealed that Bumrah had actually completed his rehab, and even his medical scans were clear. However, there was no surety whether he would be match fit for the upcoming tournament, which is a completely different criteria. "Bumrah was asked to off-load for five weeks, after which his rehabilitation at NCA happened under strength & conditioning trainer Rajnikanth and physio Thulasi,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by the news agency .
"The report sent by NCA head Nitin Patel clearly states that while he has completed his rehabilitation and scan reports seemed to be okay, it couldn't be concluded whether he would be bowling fit by the time the tournament starts.
Hence the selectors didn't take any risk. Nitin left the ball in Ajit's (chief selector Agarkar) court, and hence no one would want to stick their necks out and take the risk of putting an unfit player in the squad. If the medical team doesn't green-light fully, how can the selection committee take that risk," the source added.
The board and the selectors did not want to take any risks when it came to Bumrah’s fitness, with Harshit Rana has been named his replacement for the tournament, Bumrah is expected to make his comeback in the series against England after the Champions Trophy.
