"That ability very few bowlers have" - Sanjay Manjrekar explains when India will miss Jasprit Bumrah most during Champions Trophy 2025

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar stated that Jasprit Bumrah's absence from the Champions Trophy 2025 squad would not have come as a bolt from the blue for Rohit Sharma and co. He said that India's preparations made it clear that they were ready to go into the ICC event without their main bowler. Manjrekar, however, admitted that India will miss Bumrah the most in crunch moments in big games.

Bumrah was named in India's provisional 15-man squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. However, he failed to recover from a lower back injury and was ruled out of the tournament. The 31-year-old has been replaced by young fast bowler Harshit Rana. Earlier, Bumrah suffered from back spasms in Sydney in the final Test of the grueling five-match series in Australia.

During a discussion on ESPNcricinfo, Manjrekar said that the Men in Blue were well aware of the uncertainty over Bumrah's availability for Champions Trophy 2025. Asked how much India would miss his services, Manjrekar stated:

"Bumrah's absence is not an event. It's not like suddenly India have realized that they will be without Bumrah. Somewhere, they were all aware that it's going to be touch and go and India made preparations accordingly. Harshit Rana's emergence and Arshdeep, who had a great T20 series; Mohammed Shami slowly getting fit [are good signs for India].

"When Bumrah comes in, the crunch moments in the big games are taken care of. He just makes sure that India are back in the game in the crunch moments. That ability very few bowlers have. And that is what India will miss.

"India will not suddenly look like a weak side, but these big moments in matches where Bumrah would get India back in a winning position, the other bowlers will find it very hard to replicate," the 59-year-old added.

While India lost the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia by a 4-1 margin, Bumrah was named Player of the Series for his sensational bowling efforts. He picked up 32 wickets in five matches at an average of 13.06, which included three five-fers and two four fers.

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Jasprit Bumrah was India's standout bowler in T20 World Cup 2024

In the previous senior men's ICC event, the 2024 T20 World Cup, Bumrah was India's standout performer with the ball. He was named Player of the Tournament for picking up 15 wickets in eight matches at a brilliant average of 8.27 and a sensational economy rate of 4.18.

The 31-year-old registered figures of 3-14 against Pakistan, 3-7 against Afghanistan, 2-12 in the semifinal against England in Guyana and 2-18 in the final against South Africa in Barbados.