/popdiaries/media/media_files/2025/02/05/H375v7sAzkXpbCyEr44j.png)
Jasprit Bumrah will not feature in India’s upcoming three-match ODI series against England after being quietly dropped from the 16-member squad by the BCCI. The uncertainty surrounding his fitness began when he suffered back spasms during the Sydney Test against Australia, and the speculation has only intensified since then. Despite this, his inclusion in India's squad for the three ODIs and the subsequent Champions Trophy had sparked optimism regarding his swift recovery.
When the squad was initially announced, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had stated that the management anticipated Bumrah would be ready for the third and final ODI against England. However, on Tuesday evening, the BCCI issued a statement announcing Varun Chakravarthy's inclusion in the squad but made no mention of Bumrah.
The BCCI has not yet issued an official update on Bumrah's injury or his exclusion from the ODI squad for the England series. However, his absence from the squad has raised concerns, especially with the Champions Trophy just two weeks away. As per a report in the Times of India, Bumrah has already arrived at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru, where he will remain for a few days. He will only make his return once he receives clearance from the NCA's physios.
In January, when the Champions Trophy squad was announced, Agarkar did not provide a definitive update on Bumrah's injury. However, he mentioned "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." For those unfamiliar, all teams have until February 11 to make changes to their provisional squads for the Champions Trophy. This means the Indian management has just eight days left to decide whether Bumrah will be part of the eight-team tournament.
India's squad for the ODI series against England: Rohit Sharma (C), Ꮪhubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohd. Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy.