Jasprit Bumrah will most likely miss the group stages of Team India’s Champions Trophy 2025 campaign due to a swelling on his back, per the latest reports. India’s premier seamer will report to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru in the meantime, with the sources close to the information saying Bumrah would attain full fitness by the first week of March.

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“He (Bumrah) will be going to NCA for his rehabilitation. The initial report says he doesn’t have a fracture but has swelling on his back. So, the NCA will monitor his recovery, and he will be there for three weeks. But even after that, he will have to play a match or two, even if they are practice games organised to check his match fitness,” an unnamed BCCI source said, as quoted by the Indian Express newspaper.

The BCCI selectors who met on Saturday (Jan 11) in Mumbai to name Team India’s T20I squad for the England series and recalled Mohammed Shami to the 15-member side, is updated on Bumrah’s fitness status.

Although every participating board is bound to announce their final CT squad by Sunday (Jan 12), the BCCI has sought an extension.

Also read | Shami returns to Team India squad for England T20Is; Pant, Gill rested

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The Indian Express report also suggests that the selectors are contemplating between naming Bumrah in the final XI or adding him to the travelling reserves for the eight-team tournament.

While the BCCI will submit a provisional squad to the ICC before the end of next week, they will name a final 15 by the deadline of February 12, giving them time to monitor Bumrah’s injury status.

India will begin their tournament on February 20 against Bangladesh before facing co-host Pakistan in the marquee clash three days later.

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The Men in Blue’s last league game is against New Zealand on March 2, playing all its matches, including the semis and the final, should they qualify, in Dubai following official refusal of sending the team across the border due to security reasons.  

The tournament gets underway on February 19 and ends on March 9. 

Bumrah in BGT

Jasprit Bumrah was India’s best performer Down Under.

Though the visitors lost the series 1-3, conceding the coveted BGT and the chance to qualify for the WTC Final 2025, Bumrah was the highest wicket-taker (32) across both camps. 

In regular skipper Rohit Sharma’s absence in the series opener in Perth, Bumrah captained the team, leading them to draw first blood. Bumrah returned to his usual bowling duties once Rohit got back into the side from the second Test onwards, only to lead the team in the final Test at the SCG, where he suffered a back spasm.

Bumrah didn’t take part in that Test since bowling eight overs early on day two, missing all action since as Australia made merry, winning the series decider and bagging the BGT after almost a decade. 

Meanwhile, Bumrah bowled 151.2 overs in five Test matches Down Under, averaging 13.06.

(With inputs from agencies)