Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is facing uncertainty regarding his participation in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy due to back spasms suffered during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. This development is particularly concerning for India, given Bumrah’s instrumental role in India’s victory at 2024 T20I World Cup.

In 2024, Bumrah delivered a series of exceptional performances, consistently performing with his searing pace. Meanwhile, Champions Trophy is just two weeks away and Bumrah’s participation remains uncertain. Bumrah, who was recently awarded the ICC 2024 Men's Cricketer of the Year for his outstanding performances, was last seen in action during India’s fifth and final Test match against Australia last month.  

He was recently included in India’s Champions Trophy squad but is not in India's squad for a three-match ODI series against England. Weighing in on the situation, former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri has warned India against rushing back Bumrah. 

“I think it's high risk. There's too much big cricket coming up for India. At this stage of his career, I think he's too precious to be just called on for one game out of the blue and asked to deliver. The expectations will be so much. They'll think that he'll come in straight away and set the world on fire. It's never that easy when you come back from injury,” Shastri said on The ICC Review.

Shastri also underlined that if Bumrah is not fit to play then India’s chances at the Champions Trophy will drop by 30-35%. 

“Bumrah not fit will reduce India's chances of winning the Champions Trophy by 30%, literally by 30-35%. With a fully fit Bumrah playing, you are guaranteed those death overs. It would've been a different ball game altogether.”

Shastri mentioned that Mohammed Shami’s fitness will be closely monitored in the upcoming ODI series against England. 

“It will be interesting to see if India play him out in all three, or they give him the first one and the third one, and then ease him into the Champions Trophy. But he'll be watched very closely because 10 overs is totally different to four overs, and then you're going to see how he pulls up in the field as well having bowled those 10 overs,” Shastri said.