Jasprit Bumrah is set to miss the IPL and the World Test Championship final, if India qualify, because of his recurring back problem. The fast bowler is also in serious doubt for the World Cup in October-November.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering sending Bumrah overseas for consultation and a decision is expected soon. He had visited a specialist in England after being diagnosed with a stress fracture on his lower back in September 2019.
Sources told The Telegraph that if Bumrah has to undergo surgery he will be out of reckoning for the World Cup. It takes a minimum of six months to recover from back surgery and the medical team at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), led by former Team India physio Nitin Patel, will take a final call.
It is understood that Bumrah, who last played for the country in a T20I against Australia on September 25 last year, wasn’t given the clearance by the NCA to play the three ODIs against Australia. He played a couple of practice matches at the NCA in Bangalore earlier this month but wasn’t able to handle the workload.
“Even if he doesn’t have to undergo surgery, there is no guarantee that he will be ready before the World Cup. The NCA is in no mood to rush him. The IPL return suited him because he would have to bowl only four overs but he has complained of stiffness again,” a source said.
