Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian fast bowler, may have to sit out the upcoming IPL 2023 season due to an ongoing back injury. This is not the first time Bumrah has had to take time off due to this injury, as he was also ruled out of the T20 World Cup in 2022. Additionally, there is a possibility that he may miss the World Test Championship final in June, depending on India’s qualification.
The medical staff at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru is taking Bumrah’s case very seriously as he has not fully recovered from his lower back injury, which was initially diagnosed as a stress reaction in August of last year. Surgery has been recommended as an option to address the recurring niggles in his back. However, a final decision regarding Bumrah’s treatment will be made soon by the BCCI in conjunction with the NCA and Bumrah himself. It is important to note that the ODI World Cup is scheduled for October-November in India.
Bumrah has been eagerly awaiting his comeback since suffering a back injury last August, which had ruled him out of the Asia Cup. Initially, the injury did not seem too serious as Bumrah was named in India’s T20 World Cup squad on September 12. To prove his fitness, Bumrah even played in the last two T20Is of the Australia series on September 23 and 25.
However, Bumrah did not show up for the first T20I against South Africa in Thiruvananthapuram three days later. It was later revealed that he had been taken for scans which revealed a stress-related injury. The next day Bumrah was rushed to NCA where further scans confirmed the injury was serious, and he was subsequently ruled out of the T20 World Cup.
Bumrah resumed his rehab in November and started to bowl by mid-December. Although his progress seemed positive when he was added to the white-ball series against Sri Lanka, he felt discomfort while performing higher workloads during a fitness drill in Mumbai in early January. Scans revealed a fresh niggle had developed, which eventually ruled him out of the Australia Tests. The Indian team management as well as the NCA want Bumrah to return only when he is absolutely fit to perform at his peak, with captain Rohit Sharma also warning India against rushing him back into action.
