Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to Jasprit Bumrah being ruled out of Champions Trophy 2025 ft. Harbhajan Singh

In a major setback for Team India ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy, ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the prestigious tournament, set to begin on February 19. The 31-year-old suffered a lower back injury during the fifth and final Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in early January and has been sidelined ever since.

Despite his ongoing recovery, the BCCI had initially included him in India's provisional squad for the Champions Trophy. However, on February 11, the board issued an official statement confirming that Bumrah would not be part of the tournament.

The BCCI said in a statement:

“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.”

In the meantime, spinner Varun Chakravarthy has been included in the squad, replacing Yashasvi Jaiswal. While India are set to begin their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, they will do so without their ace pacer, Jasprit Bumrah. In light of this, this article will highlight five expert reactions to Bumrah's exclusion from the 2025 Champions Trophy.

#1 Sanjay Manjrekar

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar noted that Jasprit Bumrah’s absence wasn’t unexpected and that the team had already made preparations to enter the tournament without him. In a discussion on ESPNcricinfo, the 59-year-old 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]."

However, Sanjay added that the Men in Blue will feel Bumrah's absence during the pivotal moments of the game. He emphasized that Bumrah’s knack for stepping up in high-pressure situations is something India will miss. He said:

"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,” he added.

#2 Harbhajan Singh

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh acknowledged that Jasprit Bumrah’s absence will be a major blow, especially in critical moments of the game. However, he emphasized that the team must adapt and learn to win tournaments without him. The 44-year-old also highlighted India’s vast experience and expressed confidence that the Men in Blue remain strong favorites to lift the trophy. He said on his YouTube channel [via TribuneIndia]:

"I still believe India is the favorite in the Champions Trophy. Bumrah is a big force, who can win matches. Even without Bumrah, there are a lot of experienced players like Arshdeep, Shami, Kuldeep, and Jadeja. India is the favorite, but they have to play like the favorites. I think if you want to win the tournament, you should learn to play without Bumrah.”

"I call India a favorite because of its capability. Rohit is back in form, Virat has scored runs, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer keep on scoring runs. So batting and bowling departments are performing well. I think Bumrah's absence will be felt in the last couple of overs when the opposition will need a few runs with just two or three wickets in hand,” he added.

#3 David Lloyd

Former England cricketer David Lloyd stated that Jasprit Bumrah is the best bowler in the world and that India will feel his absence in the prestigious tournament. He shared his thoughts on talkSPORT [via Hindustan Times]:

“You are going to miss him (Bumrah). You can't get away from the fact that the best bowler in the world isn't playing, then you've got a problem.”

#4 Kapil Dev

India’s World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev noted that injuries are a natural outcome when players are active for 10 months each year. He shared his thoughts during the Tata Steel Golf Prize Distribution Ceremony, as quoted by NDTV:

“The only thing that worries me is that they play for 10 months a year, injuries will be much more common."

When asked about Jasprit Bumrah’s absence from the Champions Trophy, Kapil urged players to focus on supporting each other instead of dwelling on the injuries. He said:

“Why talk about someone who is not in the team? It's a team game, and the team has to win, not individuals. This is not badminton, tennis, or golf; we are playing a team sport in the Champions Trophy."

"If we play as a team, we will definitely win. You never want your main players to get injured, but if it happens, you can't do anything about it. Good luck to my Indian team -- go and play well," he added.

#5 Irfan Pathan

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan feels that Jasprit Bumrah's absence has weakened India's bowling attack ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy. He shared his views in a post on X, writing:

“Not having Jasprit Bumrah for the Champions Trophy significantly weakens India’s bowling attack. The team is depending heavily on the spinner in Dubai, but I believe the pacers will play a crucial role.”