Jasprit Bumrah is set to miss the last two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy which begins in Nagpur on Thursday.
The fast bowler wasn’t included in the 17-member squad for the first two Test matches because of a recurring back problem.
Bumrah has been undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore under the supervision of Nitin Patel, the head of sports science wing and the final authority on a player's fitness clearance.
It has been decided not to risk him in a World Cup years since he may not be able to cope with the workload of a Test match. With the emphasis on spin for the Test series, Bumrah will be given more time to recover.
A call on whether he will play the ODI series, which follows the four Tests, will be taken next week. The first ODI is in Mumbai on March 17.
Sources told The Telegraph that Bumrah has been undergoing full-tilt bowling sessions at the NCA for the past few days and has pulled up well. There has been no stiffness the following day, which is the most encouraging part for him.
Bumrah has also been bowling with the white ball at the NCA which is a fair indication that there is no chance of his being tried out during the Test series vs Australia.
The pacer has been on the sidelines since September last year because of a stress reaction in his back. He resumed training in November and started bowling a month later at the NCA.
He was slated to play the ODIs against Sri Lanka last month but renewed stiffness in his back forced him to undergo further rehabilitation. He was withdrawn on the eve of the opener in Guwahati.
