The sports science and medical team of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) is leaving no stone unturned to ensure pacer Jasprit Bumrah’s comeback ahead of the ODI World Cup but no one can say for sure that he will be playing for Ireland. Whether he will be fully fit for the three-match T20 series against India next month. Even if the 29-year-old Bumrah travels to Ireland starting on August 18, it is highly unlikely that he will be able to play in all the three matches. These matches will be organized at an interval of one day. Bumrah is recovering from surgery to treat a stress fracture in his lower back. Looking at the World Cup, the target will be to make a comeback in ODIs but his fitness trackers would like the fast bowler to start with a four-over spell.
However, it can be confirmed that the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is yet to get the go-ahead from the physios and doctors for Bumrah’s return for the tour of Ireland. Sources in the Cricket Board of India (BCCI) told PTI on the condition of confidentiality, “Till now there has been an unwritten rule that if someone recovers from injury and returns after a long time, he should be allowed to play domestic cricket to prove his fitness.” I have to play I think the NCA and the selection committee have given him a free hand as he is not included in the West Zone squad for the Deodhar Trophy matches. No, otherwise he would have played a match in the Deodhar Trophy.
The squad for the Ireland tour will be announced in a few days and in the meantime Bumrah will get full chance to recover.“Before the selection meeting for the tour of Ireland, the NCA physio will give the fitness reports of all the players to Agarkar and his team,” sources said. If the physio’s report says that Bumrah is capable of fielding 16 overs in addition to four overs and then 40 overs in ODIs, then he will be selected. As per the information so far, the panel has not got the green signal from them.
