Injured Bumrah likely to miss Champions Trophy

Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is likely to miss the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 due to the inury he suffered against Australia.

As per the details, Bumrah suffered back pain in the first innings of the fifth Test against Australia in the bilateral Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly considering to rest Bumrah in the upcoming white-ball series against England so that he can be fully fit for the Champions Trophy.

However, Indian media reports said that the status of Bumrah's injury was not yet clear and there was a chance of him not being able to participate in the tournament depending on the status of his injury.

If Bumrah has a Grade 1 injury, his recovery may take 2 to 3 weeks, a Grade 2 injury may increase his recovery time to 6 weeks while a Grade 3 injury could keep him off the field for 3 months, reports added.

Earlier, Bumrah bowled a total of 151.2 overs in the five Test matches against Australia and was the most successful bowler with 32 wickets.

India is scheduled to next play a five-match T20 series against England, which will start from January 22, followed by 3 ODIs.

Bumrah was already expected to rest in the T20 series but play the ODIs to prepare for the Champions Trophy.

However, the status of his injury will determine whether he will play the ODI series against England.

The Champions Trophy, to be hosted in Pakistan with Indian matches in the UAE, will begin on February 19.

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On the other hand former Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has criticized the Indian cricket team for overusing fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, likening it to extracting juice from a sugarcane machine.

India faced a crushing 3-1 defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, leading to widespread disappointment among former cricketers, analysts, and fans. Amid the criticism, Harbhajan Singh specifically pointed out the excessive workload placed on Jasprit Bumrah.

In a statement on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan expressed his concerns about how Bumrah was used throughout the series. He said Bumrah was made to bowl whenever key Australian batsmen like Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, or Steve Smith came to bat. Harbhajan likened this to squeezing every last drop out of Bumrah, leaving him physically drained.

Harbhajan emphasized that Bumrah was overused, to the point where it significantly affected his fitness. He criticized the team management for not managing Bumrah's workload more carefully. According to Harbhajan, this overuse contributed to Bumrah’s physical strain, which impacted his performance in the series.

He further added that if Bumrah had been managed better and remained fully fit, India might have won the fifth Test match.

Despite the criticisms, Bumrah’s performance in the series was noteworthy. He was named Player of the Series after taking an impressive 32 wickets in five Test matches.