NEW DELHI: Jasprit Bumrah, India’s pace spearhead, has taken a significant step towards his comeback from a lower back injury that sidelined him from the ongoing Champions Trophy.
The speedster has started bowling at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, a development that has left fans excited about his potential return to international cricket.
Bumrah’s recent Instagram post, where he shared a video of himself bowling in the nets with the caption “Progress everyday,” has fueled anticipation among cricket enthusiasts.
His last appearance for India was during the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, where he not only led the side in the absence of regular captain Rohit Sharma but also emerged as the top wicket-taker of the series with an impressive 32 scalps at an average of 13.06, including best figures of 6-76 in the third Test in Brisbane.
However, Bumrah’s injury forced him to withdraw midway through the Sydney Test, the final game of the series.
Subsequently, he missed the white-ball home series against England and was eventually ruled out of the Champions Trophy squad.
In his absence, the Indian pace department has been ably handled by Mohammed Shami, Harshit Rana, and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who have performed well in the Champions Trophy so far.
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Bumrah’s presence in Dubai during India’s clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday was a testament to his commitment to the team.
He received his ICC Awards and Team of the Year caps for his stellar performances in 2024, a year in which he won the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year and was awarded the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Award for his exceptional achievements.
In 2024, Bumrah took 71 wickets in the longer format at an impressive average of 14.92. He was also named the Player of the Tournament in the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies, where he picked up 15 scalps at a jaw-dropping average of 8.26 and an economy rate of just 4.17.
Additionally, Bumrah won the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year award and became the fastest Indian pacer to achieve 200 Test wickets. He was also named in the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year and ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year, further solidifying his status as one of the best bowlers in the world.
As Bumrah continues his recovery process, his focus now shifts towards regaining full fitness for the IPL 2025 with the Mumbai Indians. The team is scheduled to take on the Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on March 23, and Bumrah’s return would undoubtedly bolster their bowling attack.
