Indian bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to travel to Australia for the T20 World Cup starting on October 16th.
Bumrah, who has already been ruled out of the ongoing home T20 series against South Africa of back injury, will have to spend much more time on the sidelines than what was expected before.
While BCCI has not officially confirmed the decision, it has been learnt that Bumrah has picked up stress fracture in the back and is all but ruled out of the mega event Down Under. Bumrah had not travelled with the team for the opening T20I against South Africa, played at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
Bumrah, who had also ruled out of the Asia Cup 2022 due to his back problem, and was training at the National Cricket Academy, played the last two T20Is against Australia. He was far from his best in the series and in the last match of the series gave away 50 runs in his stipulated four overs, which is the most expensive T20I figures.
Bumrah’s injury comes at a crucial time for India and will further deplete the bowling line-up with Ravindra Jadeja already ruled out. With Bumrah likely to miss out, it is quite possible that Mohd. Shami who was named as a standby in the World Cup squad will be drafted in the main squad.