Follow UsTeam India are set to make a final call on Jasprit Bumrah’s availability for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy on February 11 (Tuesday). The pacer hasn’t played for the country since the Sydney Test, where he walked off the field during the first innings of the Test.
While Bumrah has been included in India’s provisional squad, there’s a high chance he could miss out on the competition entirely, given rumours of a stress fracture on his back. With February 11 being the deadline to announce the squad, there’s a growing concern over Bumrah’s availability.
The 31-year-old was expected to return in action for the third ODI before the Champions Trophy. But according to ESPNCricinfo, the pacer has instead now travelled to Bengaluru to join the National Cricket Academy (NCA), which will be providing the last update on the pacer’s availability.
Harshit Rana, who made his ODI debut against England, is most likely to slot in as a replacement in case Bumrah fails to recover. India kick-off their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 before the high-profile clash against Pakistan on February 23.