Bumrah’s absence from the Champions Trophy significantly lowers Rohit and his team’s chances of winning the tournament believes the Former India all-rounder and cricket head coach Ravi Shastri.
The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is set to begin on the 19th of February 2025 in Pakistan. We have exactly around 13 days left until the tournament begins with the match between Pakistan and New Zealand.
Indian Cricketer Jasprit Bumrah, who had an outstanding 2024, was recently named ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year and ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year. He played a crucial role in winning India’s Men’s T20 World Cup and had an exceptional season across all formats. However, he has been sidelined due to sustaining a back spasm during the Sydney Test against Australia and wasn’t able to play since then. Despite his name being added to the squad list, his fitness remains a concern amongst the team.
Senior player Jasprit Bumrah (right-hand speedster/pacer) has missed the three-match series against England due to some health concerns, which now have cast doubts on his participation in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. This has reduced the chances of team India winning the tournament for the second time in three years by almost 30 per cent.
During a recent interview on the ICC review by Sanjana Ganesan with Ricky Ponting, and Ravi Shastri, former Indian cricket head coach, talked about the injured player Jasprit Bumrah.
“I think it’s high risk. There is too much big cricket coming up for India. And at this stage of his career, I think he is too precious to be just called on for one game out of the blue and asked to deliver. The expectations will be so much. They will think that he will come in straight away and set the world on fire. It is never that easy when you come back from injury. Bumrah not fit will reduce India’s chances {of winning the Champions Trophy} by thirty per cent, literally by thirty–thirty-five per cent. With a fully fit Bumrah playing, you’re
guaranteed of those death–overs. It would have been a different ballgame altogether.”
Shastri also mentioned that Bumrah’s potential absence in the Champions Trophy would leave a significant gap for India to fill.
With fewer chances of Bumrah playing, senior pacer Md. Shami is expected to lead India in the Champions Trophy. Mohammed Shami made his return for India from injury in the ongoing limited-overs series against England.
Shastri also said that it will be interesting to see if Shami is played by India in all three matches, or if he is given the first and third matches to ease him into the Champions Trophy.
“But he’ll be watched very closely because ten overs is totally different to 4 overs, and then you are going to see how he pulls up in the field as well having bowled those ten overs,” the former head coach added.
Ricky Ponting also shared his thoughts about Bumrah’s fitness concerns on The ICC Review saying:
“My biggest concern about India, when they came for Australia in the Test series, was Bumrah not having Shami there as a backup and him having to burden most of the load. And that’s probably what happened, and might even have something to do with why he {Jasprit Bumrah} got hurt. He probably ended up having to bowl a bit more in that series with Shami {Mohammed Shami} not being there. So, look, if Shami is fit, that’s a positive.”
Aakash Chopra, Former India cricketer thinks that Shami is ‘far from ready’ that is not ready for the Champions Trophy 2025.
“I’m not hearing great news about Bumrah’s fitness. However, I won’t believe in hearsay and won’t share what I heard either. 4 fast bowlers should have hundred per cent been there (in the team/squad) because whatever we have seen of Mohammed Shami, he did take 3 wickets in the last match for sure and bowled decently, but he is far from ready.” Aakash Chopra said in a YouTube video.
Rohit backed the seasoned pacer Mohammed Shami, who was included in the Champions Trophy squad even after his less impressive domestic performances after returning from injury.
“He hasn’t played cricket for one or one and half years. Don’t judge him so soon. He (Shami) has been playing cricket for the last ten-twelve years and has performed for the team. You look at The World Cup and how he {Shami} bowled then. In domestic cricket, if a few games did not pan out the way he would have thought, then that doesn’t mean he is not a good bowler. He has won us so many games, picked so many wickets, it’s crucial to keep that in mind.” Rohit said in the interview.
Rohit not ruling out the possibility of Bumrah’s availability in the upcoming tournament, also added that the team is awaiting the scan reports to determine whether Bumrah would play or not in the upcoming days.
“We are just waiting on that update, which is going to happen in the next few days, the scan. Then, probably, we will have a little more clarity about his participation in the last ODI.”
India will start their ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 campaign against Bangladesh on the 20th of February, in Dubai, UAE.
