Jasprit Bumrah has missed the first two Tests of the two-Test series against Sri Lanka due to a left knee injury he picked up against England last month in the second ODI.
The 32-year-old had been called into the Indian team to undergo fitness test at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. But Bumrah has been feeling the pain in his rehabilitation and he has been dropped from the squad.
Bumrah suffers another fitness setback
Bumrah was unable to play the ODI in the Lord’s due to impact injury while fielding in Cardiff. He was also rested for India’s one-off Test against Afghanistan in June to manage the workload of the team.
The latest setback is at a crucial juncture for India’s Test team. Bumrah, who is the top-ranked Test bowler in the world, has been given a relatively light schedule since picking up an injury to his back in the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia last year.
He was rested after the Afghanistan Test after playing just three of the five Tests in England last year as part of that management.
Major blow for India’s Test campaign
Bumrah’s absence is a huge blow to an Indian team in a transition phase. India have suffered two home Test series defeats in the last two years and have had mixed fortunes on the road.
His leadership of the pace attack and his breakthroughs in tough situations will be sorely missed in the two Test series in Sri Lanka. With that, India will be left with other quick bowlers to look after during the series.
Auqib Nabi in line for replacement
India have yet to announce a replacement for Bumrah. But, J&K pacer Auqib Nabi is believed to be the top contender to replace him in the team.
The updated XI for India in the Tests against Sri Lanka is Shubman Gill (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Sai Sudharsan*, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar and Saransh Jain.
India will now start preparing for the Sri Lanka series without their top Test bowler, and will be looking to how the bowling attack copes without Bumrah.
