The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India’s squad for the remaining Tests and ODI series against Australia on Sunday, but Jasprit Bumrah’s name was missing from the list. The pacer, who last played for India in a T20I against Australia in September last year, has been left out of the squad due to a lack of clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
NCA Did Not Clear Bumrah For International Return
While the BCCI has not revealed the reason for Bumrah’s absence from the squad, according to Cricbuzz, the pacer was not selected as the National Cricket Academy (NCA) did not clear him for international return. Bumrah played two practice games in Bengaluru in the last 10 days, but people at NCA did not give an all-clear for him to be picked in Team India.
Bumrah has not played any competitive cricket since September when he featured in two T20Is against Australia. Bumrah missed the T20 World Cup because of a back injury, having earlier also missed the Asia Cup. Bumrah was set to return to action in the ODI series against Sri Lanka but suffered a setback in his recovery. Bumrah had suffered a lower back stress fracture post the England tour in July last year. Later, he made a brief return during the Australia T20I series in September but got injured again after playing two matches and has since been out of action.
IPL 2023: The Road to Recovery
Bumrah is now expected to return to action for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2023, which starts on March 31. According to reports, BCCI will monitor his workload in the tournament. The Indian Cricket Board could follow the protocols used by overseas boards by limiting the number of overs Indian bowlers can bowl in nets and the number of matches they can play, with special consideration given to Bumrah.
India will hope that after a successful IPL season, Bumrah can return to the national team fold for the 2023 World Test Championship final. India’s win in the Delhi Test against Australia has put them on the brink of securing their place in the summit clash, which will take place from June 7 at the Oval.
The same report added that Bumrah’s return to the IPL is in accordance with the team management’s plans to scale his workload on a step-by-step basis, and they wanted him to play a few T20 games before taking part in competitive action. As the pacer has not played any cricket in the last few months, it is imperative that he takes the field with caution.
Monitoring Bumrah’s Fitness
The BCCI is taking a step-by-step approach in monitoring Bumrah’s fitness. While the board has not stated that the bowler will be rested in the upcoming IPL, they are looking at scaling his workload to avoid any further injuries. It is important for the Indian cricket team that the pacer returns to his form ahead of the World Test Championship final.
While India has had a successful Test series against Australia, the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, the leading pacer in the Indian cricket team, is a cause for concern. BCCI’s decision to monitor his fitness during the IPL is a step in the right direction towards ensuring that the bowler makes a full recovery and returns to the national team as soon as possible.
