2025 Champions Trophy: Setback for India as pacer Jasprit Bumrah advised 'bed rest'

In a major setback, India pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been advised bed rest due to back swelling ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Bumrah had recently left the India vs Australia 5th Test in Sydney mid-way due to 'back cramps.' 

"Bumrah could go to the Centre of Excellence (CoE) next week but right now there is no fixed date yet. He has been advised bed rest at home to help the muscles recover and the swelling to subside. Once that is done, future course of action will be ascertained," a report in media outlet Times of India said quoting a source.

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"Bed rest doesn't sound good. I hope it's not a disc bulge or a muscle swelling which is of a higher grade. The approach has to be similar with him - wrap him in cotton wool and preserve the talent like him," the report added.

If Bumrah is unavailable for selection in India's Champions Trophy 2025 squad, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may have to look at the fringe options to replace him. 

In a relief to BCCI, Mohammed Shami is now fit and may very well end up leading the pace attack in the ICC tournament. Along with him, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who leads India attack in T20Is, can find a place in the Champions Trophy 2025 squad. 

For the third pacer, it could be a toss-up between Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana. All three pacers were part of India's tour of Australia where the team lost 1-3 in the five-Test series.

The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 starts February 19 and the BCCI is expected to make the squad annoucement on January 18-19.

India's Champions Trophy Squad (Probable): Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal/Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Karun Nair/Abhishek Sharma/Suryakumar Yadav/Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Nitish Reddy/Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel/Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy/Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah (subject to fitness)