India sweat on Bumrah’s fitness for Champions Trophy as Shami returns

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that India’s leading fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, will miss their T20 international series against England, but that his pace-bowling partner Mohammad Shami will also play after a year away.

Bumrah, who suffered back spasms in the series’ final game against Australia, was not selected for the 15-man squad that the BCCI had named on Saturday.

The nature of his injury and the date that Bumrah will return to action have not been disclosed by the BCCI.

The T20 champions will be sweating on his recovery and return ahead of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan and Dubai, though it’s unlikely that India will have any serious concerns about him.

The 31-year-old was the highest wicket-taker on India’s tour of Australia but was forced out of the Sydney Test midway. However, the BCCI has not provided a reason for his omission from the white-ball squad.

Following the 50-over World Cup in 2023, Shami returned to the squad after more than a year of missing due to an ankle injury and subsequent surgery.

The 34-year-old missed all of India’s 2024 international games and was closely monitored by the national team’s medical staff until he returned to the field in October.

India missed Shami in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series in Australia.

Alongside Shami, spin all-rounder Axar Patel was named India’s vice captain for the first time. The team is led by Suryakumar Yadav.

After missing the 3-1 series victory in South Africa in November due to their Test commitments in Australia, all-rounders Nitish Reddy and Washington Sundar, as well as pacer Harshit Rana, are back in the T20 squad.

Star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant continued to miss out on India’s T20 plans. He last featured in the 2024 T20 World Cup triumph in the West Indies.

Sanju Samson started the year with three centuries in the absence of Pant, who also had three centuries in seven games played for South Africa and Bangladesh. The squad’s other wicketkeeper is Dhruv Jurel.

India and England will play their first T20I on January 22, which will wrap up with a three-game one-day international series before the Champions Trophy next month.