India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the ICC T20 World Cup due to a back injury, the BCCI announced on Monday.
That Bumrah is ruled out of the big-ticket event due to a stress fracture was first reported on September 29.
Bumrah's absence will certainly affect India's chances in the marquee event in Australia as the death bowling still remains a grey area.
The BCCI was awaiting medical reports while the pacer did his rehab at the National Cricket Academy but it was a foregone conclusion that he would be out for months.
"The BCCI Medical team has ruled out Team India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah from the ICC Men's T20 World Cup squad. The decision was taken following a detailed assessment and in consultation with the specialists," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.
Bumrah was initially ruled out of the ongoing three-match T20I series against South Africa due to a back injury.
While the BCCI will be naming a replacement for Bumrah in the squad for the marquee tournament soon, one among Mohammed Shami and Deepak Chahar will make it to the main squad. Jammu and Kashmir pacer Umran Malik is expected to be named in the stand by list.
Bumrah has had a history of back problem due to his slinging unorthodox front-on action which puts a lot of load on his back.
He was ruled out for three months in 2019 also with a minor stress fracture but this time, it could well be a case of at least four to six months of no show.
This year, Bumrah has played only 5 games each in three formats apart from 14 games for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League.
The question that is now being asked is whether Bumrah was rushed too quickly and could have been kept under wraps till the start of the T20 World Cup.
"That would have been a double edged sword. Here you are talking about World T20. How can Bumrah, coming back from back injury, be directly fielded in a high stakes game like Pakistan? What if he broke down there?," a BCCI source, who was aware about the development, told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
"Rahul bhai had to take a chance and play him in these two series and allow him to get overs under his belt. We shouldn't blame the team management."
With both Ravindra Jadeja and Bumrah out of the T20 World Cup, it will be a big ask for Dravid to set up an ideal combination.
Shami hasn't played international T20 since last T20 World Cup and since he is coming back after recovering from COVID-19, it might take some time to bowl full tilt.
Chahar, on the other hand, is bowling really well but the problem with India will be their death bowling while defending totals.
Winning by only 16 runs in a game where they scored 237 wasn't really impressive and it seems that young Arshdeep Singh, a death overs specialist for Punjab Kings is now being slowly read well by the opposition batters.
