Team India’s star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah will not be playing in their opening match of the 2025 Champions Trophy against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai. His absence surprised many fans who were expecting him to lead India’s pace attack.
Why is Jasprit Bumrah Not Playing?
Bumrah suffered a back injury during the final Test of India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy series earlier this year. The 31-year-old, who was also India’s stand-in captain during the series, experienced back spasms and was unable to bowl in the last innings of the Test match.
Initially named in India’s preliminary squad, the management decided not to rush his recovery. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officially announced on February 11 that Bumrah was ruled out of the tournament due to a lower back injury.
BCCI’s Official Statement
The BCCI released a statement confirming the news:
Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy due to a lower back injury.
India’s Champions Trophy Fixtures & Venue
India is part of Group A along with Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Pakistan. Their schedule includes:
- February 20 – vs Bangladesh
- February 23 – vs Pakistan
- May 2 – vs New Zealand
Pakistan, the defending champions, is hosting the tournament, but all of India’s matches will be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium due to security concerns.
Who Replaces Jasprit Bumrah?
With Bumrah out, Harshit Rana has been added to India’s squad. Although Mohammed Siraj was a strong contender, the Indian selectors decided to go with Rana, a promising right-arm fast bowler.
Bumrah was in top form before his injury, taking 32 wickets in nine innings during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at an impressive average of 13.06. His absence will be a major setback for India, but fans will be eager to see how Rana steps up.
India’s 2025 Champions Trophy Squad:
- Rohit Sharma (Captain)
- Shubman Gill (Vice-captain)
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- KL Rahul (WK)
- Rishabh Pant (WK)
- Hardik Pandya
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Harshit Rana
- Mohammed Shami
- Arshdeep Singh
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Varun Chakaravarthy
With a strong squad despite Bumrah’s absence, India will aim for Champions Trophy glory in 2025. Fans will be hoping for a solid performance in Dubai!
Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: Fakhar Zaman Injury Update For IND vs PAK
