BCCI Pick LSG Pacer As As Backup Option For Jasprit Bumrah: Report
While Jasprit Bumrah has been kept in the squads for the upcoming Afghanistan T20Is as well as the Asian Games 2026, his participation is subject to fitness.
- Jasprit Bumrah is yet to receive a fitness clearance from BCCI as he has been recovering from a knee injury
- The pacer aggravated his injury after suffering a blow to his knee during the second England ODI on July 16
- Prince Yadav has reportedly been identified as a "probable backup" for Bumrah by BCCI selectors
India pacer Jasprit Bumrah is yet to get fitness clearance from the BCCI medical team. While he has been kept in the squads for the upcoming Afghanistan T20Is as well as the Asian Games 2026, his participation is subject to fitness. The pacer has been struggling with a knee injury for quite some time now. Bumrah suffered a jolt to his knee during the second ODI against England on July 16, reportedly aggravating the recurring injury. He has not bowled since that game, and the process of his recovery continues.
At a time when Bumrah's return date to the Indian squad is hard to predict, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors have identified Prince Yadav as a "probable backup", claimed a Times of India report. It added that Bumrah, along with Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana, will undergo match-simulation tests over the course of a week before being cleared to join the team in Delhi on September 10.
Former India batter Subramaniam Badrinath recently blasted the team management for the poor handling of Bumrah. The BCCI is focused on managing the pacer's workload since a back injury he suffered in January last year, but the results have not been impressive.
Badrinath held the team's captain, coach and selectors responsible for the poor management of Bumrah.
"I don't know who made the decision. CoE will not make the selection, right? They will just say he is in this state and can play these matches and his body is in this state. But I think the captain, coach, and selectors are taking the decision. CoE only passes the information. They are not selectors," Badrinath said on his YouTube channel.
Apart from Bumrah, the Indian team has also been dealing with injuries to other players. All-rounder Reddy, pacer Harshit, spin-bowling all-rounder Sundar and batter Sai Sudharsan are all currently out of action due to their respective injuries.
India Cricket Team
Jasprit Bumrah