Jasprit Bumrah Deliberately Kept Out Of India's Champions Trophy 2025 Squad By This 1 Person

Jasprit Bumrah will miss the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 owing to a lower back issue. The BCCI put an end to all conjecture regarding Jasprit Bumrah's participation in the renowned competition, appointing Harshit Rana as the senior pacer's substitute.

India's premier fast bowler, who had lower back surgery in 2022, has been dealing with another stress-related issue, which has kept him out of the fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney. He is receiving rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.

Jasprit Bumrah’s scan reports were satisfactory and his rehab was complete

It is claimed that Jasprit Bumrah was not selected for the next ICC Champions Trophy 2025 despite having finished his rehab at the NCA and receiving satisfactory scan tests, which aroused many eyebrows.

However, the recent information will undoubtedly clear the air as to why Indian chief selector Ajit Agarkar chose not to choose Bumrah for the flagship event.

A top BCCI official said that Bumrah was given five weeks off before beginning his rehabilitation under the supervision of NCA strength and conditioning trainer Rajnikanth and physio Thulasi. Despite the positive scan reports, the NCA medical team could not promise that Bumrah would be ready to play from the start of the event.

“The report sent by NCA head Nitin Patel clearly states that while he has completed his rehabilitation and scan reports seemed to be okay, it couldn't be concluded whether he would be bowling fit by the time the tournament starts. Hence, the selectors didn't take any risk,” PTI report stated.

Nitin Patel put ball in Ajit Agarkar’s court regarding Jasprit Bumrah’s selection

Jasprit Bumrah may still have been chosen; the NCA, led by Nitin Patel, left the final decision to Ajit Agarkar. But, considering Bumrah's previous incident and the medical team's 'unfit' judgment, the selectors decided not to take any chances with their top fast bowler.

“Nitin left the ball in Ajit's court, and hence no one would want to stick their necks out and take the risk of putting an unfit player in the squad. If the medical team doesn't green-light fully, how can the selection committee take that risk?” the report added.

Bumrah was rushed back too soon during the bilateral series against Australia in 2022, resulting in a long-term injury that sidelined him for nearly a year and missing the T20 World Cup.

BCCI wanted no risk for Bumrah

So, this time, the selectors avoided taking that chance and excluded him from the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which begins on February 19.

“The stakes are too high, and it would have been a complete embarrassment had Bumrah broken down in a match. The NCA, led by Nitin Patel, had once burnt their hands in 2022 when they pushed Bumrah for the bilateral series against Australia before the T20 World Cup, and he had broken down to be out for one year. That was Chetan Sharma's committee, and so Agarkar didn't want to take a chance,” the report concluded.

The report claimed that Jasprit Bumrah is most likely to be back in action for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025 starting in late March.

Also Read: India To Miss Jasprit Bumrah In Champions Trophy; KKR Spinner Replaces This Opener