'Tell the world...': Jasprit Bumrah posts emotional update on injury woes as fans await return
Jasprit Bumrah has been out with injury since September 2022 and has missed a plethora of important tournaments and series since then.
When Jasprit Bumrah will be able to return to action and be back at his best is one of the biggest questions in Indian cricket at the moment. The ace fast bowler, widely rated among the best of his generation, has been out of competitive cricket since September 2022 and has been undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru since April this year after a back surgery.
The team's medical staff have reportedly aimed to make sure Bumrah is fit for the 2023 ODI World Cup, which starts in October this year. He is also widely expected to be part of the Indian squad for their upcoming three-match T20I series in Ireland and on Tuesday, Bumrah all but confirmed the same. The 29-year-old posted a video collage of him in the nets at the NCA with the song ‘I’m Coming Home' by pop act Diddy-Dirty Money in the background. He also tagged the Instagram page of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the post.
Earlier, videos had emerged of Bumrah bowling full tilt in the nets, which sparked strong speculation that he would be available for the Ireland series. It was also reported that newly appointed chief of the selection commitee Ajit Agarkar will travel to the West Indies, where India are currently engaged in a full tour, to chalk out a plan for the World Cup and Bumrah's fitness will also be among the topics of discussion.
A timeline of Bumrah's injury woes
Bumrah had pulled out of the 2022 Asia Cup before that. Shortly after his return in September in a series against South Africa, Bumrah pulled out of the assignment with a reported stress reaction in his lower back. It subsequently led to him missing out on the 2022 T20 World Cup. He was then added to the squad for an ODI series agianst Sri Lanka in January this year but then pulled out after complaining of a pain in his back. He was then subsequently ruled out of the 2023 IPL, the four-match Test series at home against Australia and the WTC final.
