Tag: Jasprit Bumrah

India’s premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, has reportedly opted out of contention for the Test captaincy.

Bumrah, who was considered a frontrunner to succeed Rohit Sharma in the longest format, has communicated to the board that he is not in a position to commit to playing all five Tests in a series, primarily due to workload management concerns.

According to media reports, selectors are now looking for someone who can consistently feature across an entire Test series, a critical factor with the five-match series against England on the horizon and the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle about to begin.

“Bumrah was seen as the most likely candidate to take over from Rohit, but he has made it clear that managing his fitness and longevity as a fast bowler remains the priority,” a source close to the development revealed.

“Given the intensity of the five-Test series, especially in a short window, his decision is understandable.”

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With Jasprit Bumrah stepping aside, the BCCI’s focus has now shifted to younger names like Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, both seen as long-term prospects who could lead India into the next generation of Test cricket.

Veteran batter KL Rahul, despite his experience and recent performances in Australia, is reportedly not in the running. At 33, selectors are said to have reservations over his consistency and long-term viability.

Rahul scored 276 runs in five Tests in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25, including two gritty half-centuries, and is expected to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in England.

Interestingly, Rahul also boasts a solid Test record in English conditions, with 614 runs in nine matches at an average of 34.11, including a memorable 149 at The Oval in 2018.

But the selectors appear keen on building a team and leadership core that can last through the next WTC cycle.

The five-match Test series against England kicks off at Headingley, Leeds, on June 20, followed by matches at Edgbaston, Lord’s, Old Trafford, and The Oval.

READ: Virat Kohli announces retirement from Test cricket

India paceman Jasprit Bumrah has been named as the Leading Men’s Cricketer in the World in the 2025 edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, with compatriot Smriti Mandhana picking up the women’s award.

Bumrah was given the honour by the sport’s “bible” after a stunning 2024 in which he excelled in red-ball and white-ball cricket.

The 31-year-old picked up 71 Test wickets at an average of less than 15 and was named player of the tournament as India won the T20 World Cup in the West Indies.

Wisden editor Lawrence Booth described Bumrah as “quite simply the star of the year”.

Reflecting on Bumrah’s astonishing efforts during India’s Test series in Australia, Booth wrote: “He was so lethal, so uniquely challenging — a staccato of limbs somehow forming a symphony — that runs scored off him should have counted double.

“And while taking 32 Australian wickets at 13 each, he laid a claim to be considered the greatest of all time, becoming the first with 200 Test wickets at an average below 20.”

Despite the heroics of Jasprit Bumrah, Australia won the five-Test series, which finished in early January, 3-1.

Mandhana, 28, made it an Indian double by being named as the Leading Women’s Cricketer in the World. The batter scored 1,659 runs across all formats in 2024 — the most by a woman in a calendar year of international cricket.

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West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran was named as the game’s leading T20 cricketer.

In the almanack, which is published on Thursday, Booth is scathing about Jay Shah’s smooth transition from the most powerful figure in Indian cricket to chairman of the International Cricket Council.

“(It is) a sorry truth: 2024 was the year cricket gave up any claim to being properly administered, with checks, balances, and governance for the many, not the few,” Booth writes.

He adds: “Cricket has handed over the only key not already in India’s possession. All hail the Big One.”

The Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack has been published continually on an annual basis since its first edition in 1864.

Wisden also names five Cricketers of the Year — an award that can only be won once in a career — and is generally based on performances in the previous English season.

England trio Gus Atkinson, Jamie Smith and Sophie Ecclestone have been named among the five in the 2025 edition.

Hampshire spinner Liam Dawson, who has also played for England, and Surrey paceman Dan Worrall complete the line-up.

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Star Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah is set to return after sustaining an injury during the final Border-Gavaskar Test between Australia and India on 4 January in Sydney.

Following the injury, Bumrah was subsequently ruled out of the Champions Trophy, India won last month.

He went through rehab at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, leading to uncertainty regarding his participation in the first few matches of the IPL.

For context, this marks Bumrah’s first injury since he suffered a back injury in March 2023, which caused him to miss the IPL and the ICC World Test Championship final, which India eventually lost to Australia.

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The news of Bumrah’s return was announced through his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Mumbai Indians.

The five-time IPL winning team announced the arrival of the pacer with the caption “The King of the jungle is back in his kingdom” on their social media accounts.

The ace pacer joined the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Mumbai Indians ahead of their clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on 7 April.

Jasprit Bumrah joined MI after getting clearance from the (BCCI) medical staff at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, as reported by Cricinfo.

However, Bumrah is unlikely to feature in the playing XI for their home game against RCB.

The 31-year-old fast bowler will now team up with the MI support staff, under the leadership of Mahela Jayawardene, to devise his comeback schedule.

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Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene has provided an update on the injury status of India’s ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 18th edition, starting from March 22.

Bumrah, who sustained an injury during the last Test of the Border-Gavaskar series, was ruled out of India’s successful ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

The 31-year-old performed impeccably well with the ball across five matches, taking 32 wickets and finishing as the highest wicket-taker.

He is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, leading to uncertainty regarding his participation in the first few matches of the IPL.

At a pre-tournament press conference, Jayawardene commented on Bumrah’s condition, noting that the pacer has only recently started his rehabilitation process.

“[Bumrah] has just started his progress. We have to wait and see what feedback we get from the BCCI medical team,” said Jayawardene.

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He also mentioned that Bumrah is in good spirits, but acknowledged the challenge of not having him on the team.

“At the moment, everything is going well. But, obviously, it is on a day-to-day basis. He is in good spirits. Not having him is a challenge,” he added.

Jayawardene emphasized Bumrah’s importance to the team, saying, “He is one of the best bowlers in the world, and he has been a fantastic pro for us for many years.”

For context, this marks Bumrah’s first injury since he suffered a back injury in March 2023, which caused him to miss the IPL and the ICC World Test Championship final, which India eventually lost to Australia.

Notably, throughout his IPL career, Jasprit Bumrah has played all matches for the Mumbai Indians franchise, taking 165 wickets in 133 matches.

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Australia’s young batter Nathan McSweeney has reflected on the immense challenge of facing India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah during the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

McSweeney, who was included in Australia’s Test squad and tasked with opening the innings alongside Usman Khawaja following David Warner’s retirement, struggled to make an impact in the series.

He managed just 72 runs in six innings at an average of 14.40, finding himself at the receiving end of Bumrah’s relentless bowling. The Indian pacer dismissed him four times in five innings, leading to McSweeney being dropped for the final two matches.

Speaking to an Australian media outlet, the right-hander admitted that facing Bumrah was far more difficult than he had anticipated.

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“Yeah, tough work is probably an understatement. He [Jasprit Bumrah] is an incredible bowler. I was probably naïve going into it, never faced him before and (thinking) he’ll be fine,” Nathan McSweeney said.

“But he’s an incredible bowler with great skill and a relentless ability to pitch the ball exactly where you don’t want as a batter.”

Despite his struggles, the 25-year-old found some solace in the fact that he wasn’t alone in his battle against Bumrah, who troubled even the most experienced Australian batters.

“It was a very tough challenge, but it also gave me hope that no one had great success against him. Everyone was trying to tackle him at the same time, and no one was playing him with ease, which gave me a little bit of confidence,” he added.

It is worth noting that Australia bounced back from a 1-0 deficit to clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 3-1, securing a historic comeback victory after losing the opening Test.

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Former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond expressed concerns about the Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah recurring back injuries, stating that another injury in the same spot could be “a career-ender.”

After a superlative performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, Jasprit Bumrah was initially ruled out for the next few weeks due to a back injury on the second day of the final Test.

Due to his injury, the pace bowler couldn’t feature in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Bond emphasized the importance of workload management and open dialogue to ensure Bumrah’s longevity. He advised caution to prevent further injuries with the IPL and England Test series looming.

“When he went off for scans, it was at Sydney, there was some messaging coming up around that he had sprains and stuff like that. I worried that it wasn’t going to be a sprain, it might be a bony injury around that area,” he said.

“Looking at the tours and the schedule going forward, where are the opportunities to give him a break, but really where are the danger periods? And often, it is that the IPL to the Test championship will be a risk,” Bond said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.

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Shane Bond cautioned that if Jasprit Bumrah suffers another injury in the same area, it could jeopardize his career.

“If we can get him through the English summer and he’s fit, we can probably then go with some confidence that we can carry him across the rest of the formats.”

“So that’s hard because he is your best bowler, but If he has another injury in the same spot, that could be a career-ender, potentially, because I’m not sure you can have surgery on that spot again,” he added.

The 49-year-old emphasized that he would not want Jasprit Bumrah to play more than two consecutive Tests in a row.

“He’s too valuable for the next World Cup and stuff. So you’d be looking at five Tests in England, I wouldn’t want to be playing him in any more than two in a row.”

“Coming out of the back end of the IPL into a Test match is going to be a huge risk. And so how do they manage that is going to be key,” he concluded.

Read : Shubman Gill named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for February 2025

In a significant blow to India, star pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the  ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 due to injury.

The right-arm pacer sustained a lower back injury during the final Test against Australia in Sydney last month.

According to a statement issued by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the selection committee named pacer Harshit Rana as Bumrah’s replacement.

According to Cricinfo, Bumrah’s most recent scans, which he had over the weekend in Bengaluru, did not show anything concerning.

The report further stated that the timeline of his return has not been confirmed. He will likely resume running in a couple of weeks and then bowl gradually after that. The BCCI’s medical team in Bengaluru will monitor his progress.

Furthermore, India has also named mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy in the squad. The spinner will replace Yashasvi Jaiswal, initially named in the provisional squad.

Rana, who made his Test debut down under, has been sensational in the past few months. He played a vital role by taking crucial wickets in team India’s victory over England in the five-match T20I series.

He also made a notable contribution to the first One Day International, bagging 3-53 at an important stage of the match.

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For the unversed, Bumrah arrived at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru on 3 February to have his injured back scanned.

Last month, the chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, revealed that Jasprit Bumrah would miss the first two ODIs of the home series against England while announcing the squad.

This is the second ICC tournament Bumrah will miss due to injury. He sat out the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia due to a back injury, eventually forcing him to have surgery.

It is pertinent to mention that the ICC had set February 11 as the deadline for all participating teams to submit their final squad for the Champions Trophy 2025.

From now on, any subsequent changes to the team will need approval from the tournament’s technical committee.

India’s squad for the Champions Trophy

Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy

Non-travelling substitutes: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Shivam Dube

READ: Akif Javed replaces injured Haris Rauf in Pakistan’s squad for tri-series

Pakistan interim head coach Aqib Javed has downplayed the threat posed by star India pacer Jasprit Bumrah ahead of the high-octane clash between the arch-rivals in the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025.

Bumrah, the spearhead of the Indian pace attack, is widely regarded as a formidable asset across all formats of cricket.

Currently, he is grappling with a back spasm that has unfortunately led to his omission from India’s squad for the ODI series against England.

The significance of Bumrah’s absence is underscored by reports from Indian media, which suggest that his recovery may also hinder his participation in the forthcoming Champions Trophy, casting a shadow over India’s bowling strength.

In light of the current situation, Aqib Javed, the interim coach of the Pakistan national cricket team, has expressed his views on Bumrah’s potential participation in the Champions Trophy 2025 and how Pakistan intends to strategize against him.

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“They [India] should be worried about Bumrah’s fitness. When you play in the Champions Trophy, the most beautiful thing about it is you can’t take any team lightly,” said Aqib.

“The top eight best teams are playing. If any team has a bowler like Bumrah, it is a plus point. But it is not like we will plan everything around him.”

Earlier, India captain Rohit Sharma said that the side was waiting update on Jasprit Bumrah’s scans as he was left out of the Playing XI for the first ODI against England

“Jasprit [Bumrah], obviously we’re waiting on some update about his scan, which is due to happen in the next few days,” he stated.

“We’re just waiting on that update, which is going to happen in the next few days, the scan. Then, probably we’ll have a little more clarity about his participation in the last ODI.”

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MUMBAI: India ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the upcoming three-match ODI series against England, starting Thursday, according to reports.

The news comes a day after Indian media reported that the right-arm pacer had arrived at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to have his injured back scanned.

Although he was initially expected to miss the first two ODIs of the series, the pacer was supposed to compete in the final match to get some game time before the mega event.

Last month, the chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar while announcing the squad, revealed that Jasprit Bumrah would miss the first two ODIs of the home series against England.

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“Bumrah has been told to off-load for five weeks after and he won’t be available for the first two ODIs against England. We are waiting on his fitness and will know his status in early February from the medical team,” said Agarkar in a press conference.

“We’ll probably find out a bit more around that time, what exactly, and with regards to what his medical condition is, I’m sure BCCI might just put something out, from the physio itself,” Agarkar concluded.

The 33-year-old fast bowler who picked a back injury during the final test of India’s recent five-match away series down under, is part of India’s squad for the Champions Trophy.

India updated squad for ODI series against England

Rohit Sharma (capt), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy

READ: Varun Chakravarthy added to India’s squad for ODI series against England

DUBAI: Indian Pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah has been awarded the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Award for International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2024.

Bumrah pipped Australia’s Travis Head and England’s formidable duo of Joe Root and Harry Brook to win the coveted award.

Jasprit Bumrah was in electrifying form across all formats this year, playing a pivotal role in his team’s significant victories, including conquering the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

The right-arm fast bowler was also named the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year 2024. Not only that, he was also included in the ICC Men’s T20I and Test Team of the Year.

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Bumrah claimed 15 wickets from eight matches in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, showcasing his skill in a thrilling final against South Africa where he grabbed crucial wickets and turned the match on his head.

The 31-year-old bowler’s notable performance in the T20 World Cup came against Pakistan where his mouth-watering 3-14 spell changed the course of the game towards India’s.

His prowess extended to Test cricket as well, where he claimed an astounding 71 wickets in just 13 matches, underscoring his status as one of the leading fast bowlers in the game today.

The right-arm quick stellar Test performance was evident in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy where he dismissed 32 batters across five Tests, averaging 13.06 with a remarkable strike rate of 28.3.

In the first four Tests of the series, the pacer left Australian batters in tatters during his heroics with the ball, often picking wickets and dictating terms almost at will.

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