Injured Bumrah likely to miss majority of England series at home

Bumrah couldn't bowl in the final innings of the series here after suffering back spasms

Sydney: Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who sustained back spasms, is likely to be rested for the majority of India’s home white-ball series against England, keeping an eye on the ICC Champions Trophy, starting from February 19.

Bumrah, who was India’s stand-out player with 32 wickets in their 1-3 thrashing at the hands of Australia in the just-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, couldn’t bowl in the final innings of the series here after suffering back spasms.

---

The 30-year-old Bumrah bowled more than 150 overs in the series. The injury has a direct link to his excessive workload in the series, and the BCCI medical team will try to ensure the new Test captain is ready for the ICC showpiece where his presence is mandatory to India’s fortunes.

According to sources privy to the development, the grade of Bumrah’s back spasm has not yet been ascertained. India will open their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai. If Bumrah’s injury is in the grade 1 category, then it will take a minimum of two to three weeks of rehabilitation before Return to Play (RTP).

In case of Grade 2 injury, the recovery can go up to six weeks while Grade 3, the most severe in nature, requires a minimum three months of rest and rehabilitation programmes. It was always known that Bumrah will not play T20I bilateral series as this is not the World Cup year, but with the Champions Trophy around the corner, he would have certainly played two if not three ODIs against England as its the 50-over format.

But now, the grade of his injury will decide whether Bumrah plays the England series at all or at least the last match at his home ground in Ahmedabad on February 12 to check on his fitness. India will face England in five T20Is and three ODIs from January 22.