Jasprit Bumrah, India’s captain for the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against Australia, has been forced off the field due to injury concerns. The speedster has left the ground multiple times on Day 2 and bowled just one over after lunch before heading back to the dressing room for medical attention. Reports suggest Bumrah has been taken for scans, as visuals showed him leaving the stadium in casual clothing, heading to the hospital in a car parked in the under-parking lot.
Unofficial Concerns About Bumrah’s Fitness
Although the team management has not issued an official update, a former Australian player hinted before the start of Day 2 that Bumrah wasn’t looking fully fit. This has raised significant concerns among fans and team management, given Bumrah’s critical role in India’s campaign to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Jasprit Bumrah has left the SCG: https://t.co/0nmjl6Qp2a pic.twitter.com/oQaygWRMyc
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 4, 2025
Bumrah’s Impact and Workload
Bumrah has been the backbone of India’s bowling attack in the series, claiming 32 wickets so far. He is just one wicket away from surpassing Harbhajan Singh’s record for most wickets in a bilateral Test series between India and Australia. However, his heavy workload across the five-match series seems to have taken a toll. With other bowlers struggling to make an impact, Bumrah has been over-utilized, exacerbating his injury woes.
In the ongoing Sydney Test, Bumrah was also tasked with leading the team in Rohit Sharma’s absence, adding further responsibility to his workload. This is his second stint as captain in the series, after leading India to a massive 295-run victory in the series opener.
Previous Injury and Rehabilitation
Bumrah’s career has been marred by a career-threatening back injury, which required surgery and a prolonged rehabilitation period before his return to international cricket. The current series has further tested his resilience, raising questions about the management of player workloads during intense tours.
Current Match Update
At the time of writing, Australia is at 170/9 in their first innings, trailing India’s total of 185 by 15 runs. Nathan Lyon (1*) and Scott Boland (4*) are at the crease. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Prasidh Krishna have been instrumental in India’s fightback, with Reddy taking two crucial wickets.
