Major blow to India as lead pacer set to miss group stages of Champions Trophy 2025 - Reports

Team India could be without spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's services throughout the 2025 Champions Trophy group stage. The right-arm pacer is nursing a back injury he sustained during the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar series, and is expected to miss the upcoming white-ball series against England, for the time being.

According to a report by the Indian Express, Bumrah has been asked to report to the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where physios will monitor his recovery before the selectors and management can make a concrete call on his availability and selection.

The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee convened in Mumbai on Saturday, January 11, to decide on the squad for the upcoming T20I series against England. During the meeting, the selectors were informed of Bumrah's injury status.

There is deliberation as to whether Bumrah should be named in the main squad or among the reserves, considering that he is anticipated to miss most of the campaign in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The BCCI has reportedly asked for an extension from the January 12 deadline set by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to submit the provisional squad.

The traveling squad is expected to be announced by January 19, but according to the regulations, changes can be made till February 12. India will begin their campaign with the group stage clash against Bangladesh on February 20, while the tournament's knockout stage will commence from March 4 onwards.

“He (Bumrah) will be going to NCA for his rehabilitation. The initial report says he doesn’t have a fracture but has swelling on his back. So the NCA will monitor his recovery and he will be there for three weeks. But even after that, he will have to play a match or two, even if they are practice games organised to check his match fitness,” a source told the Indian Express

India are slated to play a practice match before the tournament in Dubai. The Men in Blue only have the upcoming three-match ODI series against England to shift back to the format after a red-ball-heavy season.

The Men in Blue have decent pace cover with Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Shami likely to get into the ODI side to assist Mohammed Siraj, and temporarily hold the fort in Bumrah's absence.

Jasprit Bumrah did not bowl for India in the final innings of the fifth Border-Gavaskar series Test

The right-arm pacer had left the field midway through the first innings of the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney. Bumrah was then seen leaving for scans and did not bowl in the final innings as India slumped to a six-wicket defeat.

Although the issue was reported as a back spasm, the consensus was that the injury was more severe than initially anticipated. He had bowled 151.2 overs in the series, the third-highest by a player, only behind Pat Cummins and Mohammed Siraj.