Jasprit Bumrah as decided took part in three Tests out of the five against England before being released from the squad. The eight-day interval between the first two Tests and the third and fourth Tests gave rise to optimism that Bumrah could be able to force his body to play an additional Test. However, the management stuck to the original plan.
Although Bumrah's absence from the Test was thought to be due to workload management, a report has provided a completely different perspective on the matter. Not workload management, but Bumrah was unable to play due to a knee injury, the report claimed.
During the three Tests against England, Bumrah bowled 119.4 overs and claimed 14 wickets, including five-wicket hauls at Leeds and Lord's. However at Manchester, Bumrah conceded more than 100 runs in a single innings for the first time in his career.
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"Unfortunately, Bumrah is suffering from a knee injury. The good thing is that it's not a major one and won't require surgery. The BCCI medical team is currently awaiting his scan reports," a BCCI official was quoted as saying by Times of India in a report.
The absence of India's premier pacer from the series finale, which is currently underway at the Oval, has raised questions about his future in Test cricket. It is doubtful that Bumrah will be able to commit full participation in a five-match series in near future due to his injury-ravaged body. India’s next five-match series is scheduled for 2027, when they play Australia at home.
Meanwhile, with the focus now shifting to limited-overs - Asia Cup in September and the T20 World Cup at home early next year - both the management and the player would want to be part of the tournaments. Bumrah had missed India's successful campaign at the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year due to a back injury, which he sustained during India's last tour of Australia.
"There is an Asia Cup around the corner, the T20 World Cup is also there. He would want to play those events. Considering his body, he can't play every game. He needs to be managed with extra care. Playing him at The Oval would have been a huge risk. Going forward, there needs to be a clear plan on how to manage Bumrah's Test career," a BCCI source had told PTI.
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