As per an ESPNCricinfo report, The Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) is set to announce Jasprit Bumrah’s avaiailibility status for the upcoming Champions Trophy on February 11. The pacer was last seen in action during the fifth Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Ahead of the three-match England series, chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar emphasized on the right-arm pacer’s unavailability for the white ball series. He was supposed to be available for the third ODI against the Three Lions but headed to Bengaluru’s center of excellence. Agarkar said that Bumrah was “asked to offload for five weeks” after sustaining a stress reaction on the back.
The last date to make amendments to the provisional Champions Trophy squad is February 11. Henceforth, it is understood that the BCCI will be taking a decision on Bumrah after assessing his progress. Initially, he was set to be offloaded for five weeks. However, the second scan’s report in the first week of February is publicly unknown. In this case, either the governing body shall find a replacement for Bumrah, possibly Harshit Rana who impressed in the first couple of ODIs and in the fifth T20I, coming in as a concussion substitute. However, if there are positive signs of recovery, team Bumrah might travel with the side and be available in the later stages of the tournament.
India are locked in Group A with Pakistan, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. Their first assignment is against the Tigers on March 20, followed by Pakistan, and New Zealand on March 23 and March 2.
