Rohit Sharma cautions against hastening Bumrah's return to action

India skipper Rohit Sharma warned against rushing ace speedster Jasprit Bumrah back into the international arena from his back injury. The skipper also hoped that the 29 year old head would have sufficiently recovered to be available for the last two tests of the four-match Border Gavaskar Trophy in March. 

The pacer had earlier in the month been named in India’s ODI squad for Sri Lanka series before a last moment precautionary withdrawal delayed his comeback from a prolonged injury break. Bumrah had missed the 2022 Asia T20 Series as well as the T20 World Series that followed. With a home ODI World Series fast approaching, the Indian management is treading with caution and keeping a keen eye on Bumrah’s complete fitness. 

"About Bumrah, I'm not too sure at the moment, of course for the first two Test matches he's not going to be available," Rohit said on Tuesday (January 24) after India's 3-0 sweep in the ODI series against the no. 1 ranked New Zealand.

"I'm expecting that; not expecting but hoping he plays the next two Test matches but again we don't want to take any risk with him. The back injuries are always critical. We have got a lot of cricket coming up after that as well, we will see, and we will monitor. We are in constant touch with doctors and physios at NCA and we are constantly hearing from them.”

Bumrah has been on the sidelines since last September after a stress reaction in his back ahead of the Asia T20. He was undergoing rehab at the NCA in Bengaluru, where he recommenced training after six week rest in late November and bowling three weeks later, in Mid December.

However, on the eve of the Sri Lanka ODI series, the Indian Cricket Board pulled him from the team 'as a precautionary measure' stating that the bowler "would need some more time to establish bowling resilience". Bumrah was later ruled out of New Zealand's six-match T20I series, the first of which begins on Friday in Ranchi.