Champions Trophy 2025: Uncertainty looms over Jasprit Bumrah as Ajit Agarkar reveals recovery timeline of star pacer

Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), provided a fitness update on the star pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah on Saturday. Agarkar expressed fear that Bumrah would not be able to play the first two One Day Internationals (ODIs) against England.

In view of this scenario, the team has substituted Bumrah with Harshit Rana as they await additional medical information on his condition. Despite this loss, Bumrah has been selected to the squad for the forthcoming Champions Trophy following the three-match series with England.

"Bumrah has been told to off-load for five weeks after and he won't be available for the first two ODIs against England. We are waiting on his fitness and will know his status in early February from the medical team. We'll probably find out a bit more around that time, what exactly, and with regards to what his medical condition is, I'm sure BCCI might just put something out, from the physio itself," Agarkar said during a press conference which he addressed alongside India captain Rohit Sharma.

The chief selector was reluctant to provide specifics about Bumrah's injury but expressed optimism that the 31-year-old will make a timely return.

"It's better to come from the medical department than me trying to explain what exactly is wrong with him, but that's the time frame that we've been told, and hopefully it's okay after that, yeah, but we are very hopeful," he added.

Bumrah was unable to bowl on the fifth day of the Sydney Test against Australia due to a back spasm.

In other news, the promising left-hander Yashasvi Jaiswal was predictably included in the India squad for the Champions Trophy on Saturday.

India will face England in three bilateral ODIs on February 6, 9, and 12, marking their first 50-over matches since the Sri Lanka tour in August last year, ahead of the Champions Trophy starting on February 19.

India's Champions Trophy squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar PAtel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep SIngh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja.

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