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Devajit Saikia on Jasprit Bumrah’s absence in Champions Trophy: ‘Don’t think it will have any major issue with the team combination’

Bumrah has had back issues earlier and missed nearly 11 months of cricket — from September 2022 to August 2023 — after undergoing surgery

Indian cricketer Jasprit Bumrah. (FILE photo)

Jasprit Bumrah has been an integral part of the Indian bowling attack in both the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup and the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup though the side did not win the 50-over competition, they did manage to win the 20-over one at the end of which Bumrah was judged Man Of The Tournament. However, going into the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, the Indian team will miss the services of ace-pacer due to an injury.

However, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia would say India does have enough bench strength. “We have picked the best team for the Champions Trophy. And I believe we will win the trophy. India has such a big bench strength, and I don’t think it (Jasprit Bumrah’s absence) will have any major issue with the team combination,” Saikia said speaking to IANS.

The Indian Express had earlier reported that Bumrah’s availability was anyway unlikely for the group stages of the Champions Trophy and if he indeed played any part in the competition, it would be in the semifinal or final, if India make it. The semi-finals are on March 4 and 5 with the final on March 9.

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Bumrah has had back issues earlier and missed nearly 11 months of cricket — from September 2022 to August 2023 — after undergoing surgery. He made a comeback in a T20I against Ireland. The selectors and team management have been careful not to over-burden the leader of their pace attack. During the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under, Bumrah bowled 151.2 overs in five Test matches with an average of 13.06 and a strike rate of 28.3, and was often the only bowler to have any impact on the home team.

Bumrah also was the stand-in captain for the first Test in Perth after Rohit Sharma skipped the match for the birth of his second child. He also captained the side for the final Test in Sydney when Rohit decided to sit out because of poor batting form.

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