Jasprit Bumrah to Miss Sri Lanka Test Series Due to Knee Injury

Bumrah's Injury Update

India's premier fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, will not participate in the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka as he continues to recover from a knee injury.

The swelling in his knee has proven to be more severe than initially assessed, prompting the Sports Science team at Bengaluru's Centre of Excellence to exercise caution. They aim to avoid rushing the experienced bowler back into the rigors of international cricket, especially with a busy schedule on the horizon.

The series against Sri Lanka is set to kick off on August 15 in Galle.

At 32 years old, Bumrah had to sit out the third ODI against England at Lord’s due to an impact injury. He recently arrived at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he was anticipated to regain match fitness ahead of the series starting in two weeks.

However, reports indicate that Bumrah is still experiencing some discomfort. Even if he manages to recover before August 15 or the second Test on August 23, the medical team is uncertain whether the Test format is suitable for him, given the significant workload expected on the slow pitches.

It will be intriguing to see if the selectors opt for Jammu and Kashmir's Auqib Nabi or Vidarbha's Yash Thakur as Bumrah's replacement.

Additionally, India will be without Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, and Washington Sundar, all sidelined due to hamstring injuries, at least for the first Test.