Jasprit Bumrah was on Tuesday ruled out of the Champions Trophy 2025, a BCCI released confirmed. The BCCI said that the bowler was out due to a lower back injury that he sustained during the final India vs Australia Test in Sydney. According to a report by news agency PTI that came right before the official announcement, the Sports and Medical Science team of National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru had left it on the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee to decide on Jasprit Bumrah’s selection for the Champions Trophy.
The report said: “There are two parameters of fitness that the NCA checks before clearing a player’s return to action. It is understood that once Bumrah completed his rehabilitation for his lower back injury under strength & conditioning coach Rajnikanth and physio Thulasi, he was declared medically fit. However, doubts still remain over whether he is bowling fit or not before a tournament as big as the Champions Trophy.”
India coach Gautam Gambhir has now broken his silence on the issue. He said the medical team at the NCA should be able to provide an update on the status of Jasprit Bumrah. “Obviously he has been ruled out. But all the details, I can’t give you because it’s up to the medical team to talk about that how long is he going to be out for and stuff because it’s the medical team that decides at NCA,” he said.
In another post-match interaction, Gambhir said: “Obviously we wanted him desperately. We know that what he can do, he’s a world-class player. But then again, some things are not in your hands. So it’s an opportunity for some of the young guys, like Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh, to put their hands up and do something for the country. Sometimes these are the opportunities which you’re looking for. And Harshit has been brilliant throughout the series. He’s taken some important wickets. We all know what Arshdeep can deliver. So, yes, Bumrah will always be a miss. But having someone like Mohammad Shami back with his experience is always good.”
A BCCI release on Tuesday had said: “Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy due to a lower back injury. The Men’s Selection Committee has named Harshit Rana as Bumrah’s replacement. Team India have also named Varun Chakaravarthy in the squad. The spinner will replace Yashasvi Jaiswal who was initially named in the provisional squad.”
Updated Team India Squad for Champions Trophy: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakaravarthy.
Non Travelling substitutes: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Shivam Dube. The three players will travel to Dubai as and when required.
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